The question: "What do you mean by saying 'I was shanghai'd!!'?"
What I learned:
In the late 1800's - 1900's, American ships needed sailors to travel trade routes, especially bound to China, but because of the Gold Rush, most able bodied men didn't want to go to sea. They headed for the West Coast where, at some point, many of them were tricked, drugged, liquored up, or otherwise made to join a sea-crew against their will.
Most were brought aboard by boarding masters or 'crimps' and their cronies. They were paid by the body and it really didn't matter how they got those bodies. Further, back then, it was illegal to leave a ship's crew before the voyage was over - and some of those voyages were never over.
...
In other news, I didn't learn much this weekend because my fiance's brother is very sick and we were sort of waiting by the phone to see if we should go to visit him (he lives about 3 hours away with Chris' family). We didn't go, but it was pretty tense for a bit. I feel so horribly for him. I wish I could learn more about his cancer, but it is so rare that it doesn't even have an encyclopedia entry. Not wiki, nothing. :(
And today is just one of those days, so my learning is stunted. Sorry if it was too short, but I promise better learning in the future.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
April 29, 2010: Temple Grandin / Autism
The question: "Who is Temple Grandin?"
What I learned:
Temple Grandin is one of the rare speakers on Autism that can speak from personal experience and not guardian, parental, or doctorial experience. She was born in 1950 and diagnosed as brain damaged, though she really had autism, and didn't speak until she was 4. She had lots of support as she grew up - which a lot of autistic children, especially those in low-income sitautions don't have - and though she still describes herself as thinking in visual rather than linguistic ways, because of this upbringng she has stood in front of audiences to speak, has revolutionized the way that commercial cows are led to slaughter, and has even won awards from PETA to Societies of Biological Engineering.
I saw her on the list of 100 most influential people that TIME magazine just put out and wanted to read more about her. Unbeknownst to me, there's TONS of information about her out there. And though I really want to learn about the autism, right at this second I'm more interested in the humane treatment of cattle.
(Don't ask me why, I just let my brain do what it wants WHEN it wants.)
At her website she describes how she came to realize how livestock 'feels' and how changes to working with animals would reduce stress. When PETA awards someone for making cattle's lives better as they head to the slaughter, you know this has to be a breakthrough.
As I read throughout her page, its obvious how much she got into the animal's minds and that's something that I can admire. I'm not a PETA person. I do like eating animals (sorry!) because they are tasty and I have sharp teeth designed for that. But, i do still eat veggies (I've rediscovered zucchini lately and boy, is it damn good!) and I would never HURT an animal on purpose (except for bugs, but are they animals? I'm territorial when it comes to bugs). But I agree that there is no need to torture the animals used for food products. If they have a short life, then make it as good as we can. Who knows if this will bring us to Heaven or some other place, but it sure is comforting to someone personally...
I like sounding intellectual sometimes even though I'm not. The above is full of grammatical errors and ridiculous sentences and still, I think it sounds pretty damn smart. :D
Anyway, back to Temple. Or Dr. Grandin as it were. I hope that there are other people out there that do similar things, trying to make lives better for animals. Because no matter what, they have no voice. No voice in society, politics, life. They can't speak and even those that can (like the signing monkeys) are still tortured and treated horribly. I always advocate for helping animals over people because they are truly without any way to help themselves in this human-run world.
Although, there's no way I'm like this chick:Death Gets the Girl.
"You can't hug your children with nuclear arms!!" Oy!
What I learned:
Temple Grandin is one of the rare speakers on Autism that can speak from personal experience and not guardian, parental, or doctorial experience. She was born in 1950 and diagnosed as brain damaged, though she really had autism, and didn't speak until she was 4. She had lots of support as she grew up - which a lot of autistic children, especially those in low-income sitautions don't have - and though she still describes herself as thinking in visual rather than linguistic ways, because of this upbringng she has stood in front of audiences to speak, has revolutionized the way that commercial cows are led to slaughter, and has even won awards from PETA to Societies of Biological Engineering.
I saw her on the list of 100 most influential people that TIME magazine just put out and wanted to read more about her. Unbeknownst to me, there's TONS of information about her out there. And though I really want to learn about the autism, right at this second I'm more interested in the humane treatment of cattle.
(Don't ask me why, I just let my brain do what it wants WHEN it wants.)
At her website she describes how she came to realize how livestock 'feels' and how changes to working with animals would reduce stress. When PETA awards someone for making cattle's lives better as they head to the slaughter, you know this has to be a breakthrough.
As I read throughout her page, its obvious how much she got into the animal's minds and that's something that I can admire. I'm not a PETA person. I do like eating animals (sorry!) because they are tasty and I have sharp teeth designed for that. But, i do still eat veggies (I've rediscovered zucchini lately and boy, is it damn good!) and I would never HURT an animal on purpose (except for bugs, but are they animals? I'm territorial when it comes to bugs). But I agree that there is no need to torture the animals used for food products. If they have a short life, then make it as good as we can. Who knows if this will bring us to Heaven or some other place, but it sure is comforting to someone personally...
I like sounding intellectual sometimes even though I'm not. The above is full of grammatical errors and ridiculous sentences and still, I think it sounds pretty damn smart. :D
Anyway, back to Temple. Or Dr. Grandin as it were. I hope that there are other people out there that do similar things, trying to make lives better for animals. Because no matter what, they have no voice. No voice in society, politics, life. They can't speak and even those that can (like the signing monkeys) are still tortured and treated horribly. I always advocate for helping animals over people because they are truly without any way to help themselves in this human-run world.
Although, there's no way I'm like this chick:Death Gets the Girl.
"You can't hug your children with nuclear arms!!" Oy!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
April 28, 2010: Smiling in Pictures and Re-Enactors
The questions: "When did people start to smile in pictures?" and "When did people start re-enacting history for entertainment?"
What I learned:
First, about the smiles:
I would imagine that everyone knows the answer to this but we just didn't think of it before we asked the question.
Remember two things: First, pictures used to take a long time. It was an arduous process of standing there and waiting for the developing on the plate. No one wants to smile for that long. Second, cameras were expensive and sparsely found throughout the area. That meant that getting your picture taken was, most likely, a formal occasion. And people don't often smile toothy for formal occasions. At least not back then.
People started smiling when taking pictures became a common sight and an immediate thing. If its not a big deal to get your picture taken, you can mess up a few frames with a goofy grin or a tongue sticking out. Furthermore, if it only takes a second, why not smile? You won't hurt your cheeks!
So, didn't learn a specific date, but wasn't asking for one.
Same thing with question two:
Seems that the Romans were the first to start re-enacting battles for amusement. That's another one I should have guessed, but didn't. The Romans weren't the type to entertain each other with plays about love and beauty, that was the Greeks, so they decided to entertain with sport, death and, the closest to plays, historical re-enactments.
The middle-ages re-enacted the romans. The victorians re-enacted the romans.
Sheesh, you know, the Romans are not that popular today in re-enactments. Sure, they exist, but so do re-enactments of almost every American era. PLUS the Celts and Greeks to a lesser extent. Of course, the big event is Medieval re-enactment.
As for that, well, I don't have to learn too much about it right now. I was going to learn a little for: The Muskogee Renaissance festival but I don't think I'll have the time or money to visit this year. I've never been to a RenFest but it does sound cool. I'm sure I'll go one day, but this year might just not be the time for it.
What I learned:
First, about the smiles:
I would imagine that everyone knows the answer to this but we just didn't think of it before we asked the question.
Remember two things: First, pictures used to take a long time. It was an arduous process of standing there and waiting for the developing on the plate. No one wants to smile for that long. Second, cameras were expensive and sparsely found throughout the area. That meant that getting your picture taken was, most likely, a formal occasion. And people don't often smile toothy for formal occasions. At least not back then.
People started smiling when taking pictures became a common sight and an immediate thing. If its not a big deal to get your picture taken, you can mess up a few frames with a goofy grin or a tongue sticking out. Furthermore, if it only takes a second, why not smile? You won't hurt your cheeks!
So, didn't learn a specific date, but wasn't asking for one.
Same thing with question two:
Seems that the Romans were the first to start re-enacting battles for amusement. That's another one I should have guessed, but didn't. The Romans weren't the type to entertain each other with plays about love and beauty, that was the Greeks, so they decided to entertain with sport, death and, the closest to plays, historical re-enactments.
The middle-ages re-enacted the romans. The victorians re-enacted the romans.
Sheesh, you know, the Romans are not that popular today in re-enactments. Sure, they exist, but so do re-enactments of almost every American era. PLUS the Celts and Greeks to a lesser extent. Of course, the big event is Medieval re-enactment.
As for that, well, I don't have to learn too much about it right now. I was going to learn a little for: The Muskogee Renaissance festival but I don't think I'll have the time or money to visit this year. I've never been to a RenFest but it does sound cool. I'm sure I'll go one day, but this year might just not be the time for it.
April 27, 2010: Male and Female Robins
Yesterday:
The question: "What's the difference between a male and a female American Robin?"
What I Learned:
First, American Robins should be called such because European Robins look completely different and aren't even of the same family. They both have an orangey/red breast, so someone decided to call them both Robins.
As you can see, the European Robin is a lot smaller and duller in color than the vibrant American Robin. Also, the European Robin's eggs are not that bright blue that we've learned to associate with the Robin in the states. They are a speckled brown, much like a Wren.
The American Robin, what we in the US think of when someone says 'Robin' has a larger size, more vibrant color, and creates those bright blue eggs.
American Robins are called "Turdus migratorius" (an unfortunate sounding name) which means "Thrush who Migrates" and they are located all over the United States and Canada. There are subspecies of Turdus migratorius, but the differences are too inconsequential to mention let alone see with the naked eye.
This is much like the female and male Robins. Unlike most birds (think Blue Jays or Cardinals, Peacocks, etc), the female Robin does not look much different than the male Robin. In general, the males have a brighter orange or red color on their breast, have a darker black on their wings and body, and have a circle of white encasing their eye. The females are just a bit duller in their breast and body feathers and their white around the eye doesn't usually go all the way around, like a male's. However, a female might have a very bright breast or a very deep black tone to her feathers. There really isn't any rhyme or reason to why a female might look like a male, it just happens. I'm sure there's some sort of link to their feed and their stress levels (etc) but I didn't find that one out yesterday.
I did want to learn about their call so that I could determine what was a Robin and what wasn't (at least in my backyard) but I forgot. Hopefully it will be something I return to in the future.
For now, I am left with the knowledge that most of the time I won't be able to tell a female Robin from a male Robin. However, I did also learn that though there aren't MORE albino Robins than other birds, they are more easily seen because Robins, as a bird, are so abundant where I live. So, I look forward to seeing an albino Robin one day.
The question: "What's the difference between a male and a female American Robin?"
What I Learned:
First, American Robins should be called such because European Robins look completely different and aren't even of the same family. They both have an orangey/red breast, so someone decided to call them both Robins.
As you can see, the European Robin is a lot smaller and duller in color than the vibrant American Robin. Also, the European Robin's eggs are not that bright blue that we've learned to associate with the Robin in the states. They are a speckled brown, much like a Wren.
The American Robin, what we in the US think of when someone says 'Robin' has a larger size, more vibrant color, and creates those bright blue eggs.
American Robins are called "Turdus migratorius" (an unfortunate sounding name) which means "Thrush who Migrates" and they are located all over the United States and Canada. There are subspecies of Turdus migratorius, but the differences are too inconsequential to mention let alone see with the naked eye.
This is much like the female and male Robins. Unlike most birds (think Blue Jays or Cardinals, Peacocks, etc), the female Robin does not look much different than the male Robin. In general, the males have a brighter orange or red color on their breast, have a darker black on their wings and body, and have a circle of white encasing their eye. The females are just a bit duller in their breast and body feathers and their white around the eye doesn't usually go all the way around, like a male's. However, a female might have a very bright breast or a very deep black tone to her feathers. There really isn't any rhyme or reason to why a female might look like a male, it just happens. I'm sure there's some sort of link to their feed and their stress levels (etc) but I didn't find that one out yesterday.
I did want to learn about their call so that I could determine what was a Robin and what wasn't (at least in my backyard) but I forgot. Hopefully it will be something I return to in the future.
For now, I am left with the knowledge that most of the time I won't be able to tell a female Robin from a male Robin. However, I did also learn that though there aren't MORE albino Robins than other birds, they are more easily seen because Robins, as a bird, are so abundant where I live. So, I look forward to seeing an albino Robin one day.
First Post
Every day, I try to read about stuff that I didn't already know about. I thought I might explain what I learned on a blog. So, here it is.
I should mention a few things:
1. I love lists
2. I try to be as brief as possible in my writing because I have ADD and get bored very quickly. :)
3. I am never grammatically correct all the time. I never spell correctly all the time. I do not like spellcheck online because it takes a bit longer than just shift-F7. I am old school word/works. :)
4. I overuse the smiley.:):):)
5. I usually wouldn't (and won't) blog on the weekends. I try to stay away from the computer on the weekends unless I'm doing something fun on it.
There's a good introduction, I think. I might even put what I learned yesterday in so that you can get a good idea as to what I usually learn. And I might even relearn a couple of things that I've learned in the past because they were so interesting.
Oh, lastly, I'll let you know at the beginning of the post if what I learned was of an adult nature. It usually won't be of a sexual nature, but too often its of a violent nature :( because I like studying other people and what motivates them.
If you have questions, please ask. Especially since I am the only reader of this so far. I like talking to myself. Hi me :) Love you! Love, me. :D
I should mention a few things:
1. I love lists
2. I try to be as brief as possible in my writing because I have ADD and get bored very quickly. :)
3. I am never grammatically correct all the time. I never spell correctly all the time. I do not like spellcheck online because it takes a bit longer than just shift-F7. I am old school word/works. :)
4. I overuse the smiley.:):):)
5. I usually wouldn't (and won't) blog on the weekends. I try to stay away from the computer on the weekends unless I'm doing something fun on it.
There's a good introduction, I think. I might even put what I learned yesterday in so that you can get a good idea as to what I usually learn. And I might even relearn a couple of things that I've learned in the past because they were so interesting.
Oh, lastly, I'll let you know at the beginning of the post if what I learned was of an adult nature. It usually won't be of a sexual nature, but too often its of a violent nature :( because I like studying other people and what motivates them.
If you have questions, please ask. Especially since I am the only reader of this so far. I like talking to myself. Hi me :) Love you! Love, me. :D
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