The military rank of colonel is the second-highest field rank below General. As a result of the word being borrowed from Middle French, it is spelt colonel but pronounced kernel. However, they are both acceptable pronunciations in the Canadian army.
The U.S. state of Kentucky has a long-standing tradition of giving out honorary colonelships; at its inception a military group, the Honourable Society of Kentucky colonels became a charitable organization, organizing society events and otherwise raising money for Kentucky.
The most famous Kentucky Colonel is Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken and its corporate spokesperson until his death in 1980. Among his numerous contributions to chicken frying was the pioneering use of a pressure fryer, allowing him to fry chicken at a then-unprecedented rate.
Sanders chose to be known simply as 'Colonel', and dressed as a stereotypical Southern gentleman. Most other honorary colonels prefer to be less overt.
Another fast-food icon with an honorary colonelship is Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers.
Other honorary Kentucky colonels include:
Three US presidents (Johnson, Reagan, Clinton) and one prime minister of the UK (Churchill)
One heavyweight champion of the world (Ali)
One pope (Jean Paul II)
One owner of Duncan Hines cake mixes (Duncan Hines)
2008/07/02
2008/06/24
Foxes
The most common type of fox, the red fox, has a silver morph whose pelt was once worth 40 beaver skins.
Silver foxes have been raised in fur farms since the 1870s in P.E.I., for collars and cuffs and stoles and such.
In the 1950s, Soviet scientist Dimitri Belayev sought to domesticate the silver fox. He managed to carry out his work by pretending to study animal physiology, which was considered acceptable by the communist party. He proceeded by breeding the tamest foxes, as judged by their behaviour, hypothesizing that behavior is rooted in physiology.
The new foxes lost their fox smell, put down their ears, began wagging their tail when happy, and started barking.
With the breakup of the Soviet Union, the program ran into funding problems and cut the program dramatically, selling many of the foxes as pets.
Another of Belayev's fox experiments consisted of selectively breeding the most agressive specimens to create vicious, killer foxes.
Silver foxes have been raised in fur farms since the 1870s in P.E.I., for collars and cuffs and stoles and such.
In the 1950s, Soviet scientist Dimitri Belayev sought to domesticate the silver fox. He managed to carry out his work by pretending to study animal physiology, which was considered acceptable by the communist party. He proceeded by breeding the tamest foxes, as judged by their behaviour, hypothesizing that behavior is rooted in physiology.
The new foxes lost their fox smell, put down their ears, began wagging their tail when happy, and started barking.
With the breakup of the Soviet Union, the program ran into funding problems and cut the program dramatically, selling many of the foxes as pets.
Another of Belayev's fox experiments consisted of selectively breeding the most agressive specimens to create vicious, killer foxes.
Tomatoes
Perhaps you know that when tomatoes were discovered in the 16th century, they were considered to be deadly poisonous.
This was because in the 3rd century, a naturalist categorized a green, tomato-like fruit which he called the wolfpeach. It was sweet tasting, but poisonous enough to kill wolves.
When explorers discovered tomatoes growing in the Incan gardens, they presumed them to be the infamous 'wolfpeach', and though they brought them to the old world, they were only grown as curiosities.
The potato, when it develops above ground, becomes what is known as a 'potato apple'; similar to a green tomato. The potato apple, unlike the potato, concentrates poisonous cyanic acid; it is probably the real 'wolfpeach'.
It is not known who discovered that tomatoes were not poisonous.
This was because in the 3rd century, a naturalist categorized a green, tomato-like fruit which he called the wolfpeach. It was sweet tasting, but poisonous enough to kill wolves.
When explorers discovered tomatoes growing in the Incan gardens, they presumed them to be the infamous 'wolfpeach', and though they brought them to the old world, they were only grown as curiosities.
The potato, when it develops above ground, becomes what is known as a 'potato apple'; similar to a green tomato. The potato apple, unlike the potato, concentrates poisonous cyanic acid; it is probably the real 'wolfpeach'.
It is not known who discovered that tomatoes were not poisonous.
2008/06/17
Sunscreen
SPF stands for sun protection factor
An SPF of 50 means you can stay in the sun fifty times longer without getting a sunburn
Only UVB rays cause sunburns; UVA cause invisible damage which increases the chance of skin cancer
The best sunscreen to get is one that has broad-spectrum UVA/B protection
The American Association of Dermatology recommends reapplying at least every two hours
after swimming
sweating
moving
and playing beach volleyball
Persistent Pigment Darkening is a method for measuring UVA protection
An SPF of 50 means you can stay in the sun fifty times longer without getting a sunburn
Only UVB rays cause sunburns; UVA cause invisible damage which increases the chance of skin cancer
The best sunscreen to get is one that has broad-spectrum UVA/B protection
The American Association of Dermatology recommends reapplying at least every two hours
after swimming
sweating
moving
and playing beach volleyball
Persistent Pigment Darkening is a method for measuring UVA protection
2008/03/30
Book of Lists
1. Are you wanting something you can't have?
It's more I want something the judge says I can't have.
4. Have you ever ran from the police?
Yeah, but I didn't do anything wrong, so they didn't chase me.
6. Ever licked someone's cheek?
In a former life. As a dog.
7. Favorite time of day?
Train time.
8. Ever been given a breathalizer test?
Last christmas, from my aunt.
9. Been to college?
Occasionally.
11. Can you lick your toe?
Can you lick my toe?
24. What was your kindergarten teacher's name?
She told me I could call her whatever I wanted.
25. Do you get nervous in front of large groups of people?
If they're picturing me naked.
29. Do you have socks on?
No... does that turn you on?
38. Does it take a lot to earn someones trust?
After what I did, it'll probably take therapy.
41. What's your opinion on same sex marriage?
I don't think marriage should change people's sex lives.
42. Who's one person you cannot stand?
FDR. Oh wait, that's one person WHO cannot stand.
53. Are you a fast typer?
Yeah, I can type 150 words a minute, but it's in my own language.
56. Are you a crazy person?
What gave it away?
59. Who called you last?
People call me Greg.
60. Do you like cheese?
What are you insinuating?
68. How tall are you?
Tall enough to know better.
70. Do you laugh at your own jokes?
Only when no one else will. So yes.
96. Lied in the last 24 hours?
Yes. Wait... no. Wait, I just did. So yes. Now.
It's more I want something the judge says I can't have.
4. Have you ever ran from the police?
Yeah, but I didn't do anything wrong, so they didn't chase me.
6. Ever licked someone's cheek?
In a former life. As a dog.
7. Favorite time of day?
Train time.
8. Ever been given a breathalizer test?
Last christmas, from my aunt.
9. Been to college?
Occasionally.
11. Can you lick your toe?
Can you lick my toe?
24. What was your kindergarten teacher's name?
She told me I could call her whatever I wanted.
25. Do you get nervous in front of large groups of people?
If they're picturing me naked.
29. Do you have socks on?
No... does that turn you on?
38. Does it take a lot to earn someones trust?
After what I did, it'll probably take therapy.
41. What's your opinion on same sex marriage?
I don't think marriage should change people's sex lives.
42. Who's one person you cannot stand?
FDR. Oh wait, that's one person WHO cannot stand.
53. Are you a fast typer?
Yeah, I can type 150 words a minute, but it's in my own language.
56. Are you a crazy person?
What gave it away?
59. Who called you last?
People call me Greg.
60. Do you like cheese?
What are you insinuating?
68. How tall are you?
Tall enough to know better.
70. Do you laugh at your own jokes?
Only when no one else will. So yes.
96. Lied in the last 24 hours?
Yes. Wait... no. Wait, I just did. So yes. Now.
2008/03/13
13 Band Names
Great Escape
The Current Fantasy
The Current
The Pilot's Boy
Chapeau Bas
With What Speed
Male Non Male
ZedZedZed
Gardeners of Salonika
Village Explorers
Robotnik
IFF
NOtext
If you ever use one of these for your band, you owe me 5$.
The Current Fantasy
The Current
The Pilot's Boy
Chapeau Bas
With What Speed
Male Non Male
ZedZedZed
Gardeners of Salonika
Village Explorers
Robotnik
IFF
NOtext
If you ever use one of these for your band, you owe me 5$.
2008/02/12
On Disabilities
When you haven't been able to hear for a week, your alarm in the morning is a wonderful sound. Even if it means your six hours of sleep are now over. Having your ears plugged all the time is terribly annoying, especially when you're trying to write midterms or participate in discussions. And all it took to cure myself was to threaten to go to the doctor about it. Yesterday as I'm sitting in school, unable to hear, a man taps me on the shoulder and hands me a card that says "I am a deaf person. I make a living selling these cards. Please buy one at any price." So after realising that I probably couldn't resell the card very easily dressed as I was, I wrote "Really? I can't hear either!" on my chem homework. I thought it'd be mean to ask him to buy it though. Honestly, if you're going to sell cards, you could draw something nice on them. The deaf guy at the ferries sold little fold-up scissors. This guy is really just lazy. I say that, but I don't give money to homeless musicians either. I guess when you've seen them do their income tax, you realise they've lost touch with their roots. Which reminds me, do you think that really rare braille books get put behind glass?
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