Margarine

Margarine was invented in the 1860s by a French chemist as a cheap replacement for butter. Nowadays, margarine is frequently bought in the belief that it is a healthier option than butter.

All margarine contains as much fat as butter, but some are lower in cholesterol and saturated fats.

However the health benefits of many of these types of spreads has been called into question as most of them are made with hydrogenated (chemically hardened) vegetable oils and this process is believed to convert the polyunsaturated fat into trans-fats which have a negative effect on cholesterol and are now thought to be linked with heart disease even more than saturated fat.

From http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/margarine

nolens volens

From - Latin nolens (“unwilling”) from nōlō (“I am unwilling”) and volens (“willing”) from volō (“I am willing, I will”).

Meaning - Willing or unwilling; willy-nilly.

From http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/nolens_volens

World Records You Can Break

Here’s a list of several standing Guinness World Records that just about anyone could break if they really wanted to…

• The most steps walked down by a dog facing forwards while balancing a 5oz. glass of water - Current record is 10.
• Most body piercings in one session - Current record is 3,900 in 7 hours, 46 minutes.
• Longest bumper car marathon - Current record 24 hours.
• Loudest male burp - Current record 109.9db
• Oldest male stripper - Current record 66 years, 233 days

See full article at http://www.offbeatearth.com/world-records-you-can-break-2/

World’s Largest Chocolate Bar

This six ton, twenty one foot bar of awesome smashes the old record by over 2,000lbs, contains 1,000lbs of almonds and over two tons of sugar.

More, and photo, from http://www.offbeatearth.com/worlds-largest-chocolate-bar-fun-size/

Hydrargyrum

Hg is the modern chemical symbol for mercury.

It comes from hydrargyrum, a Latinized form of the Greek word `Υδραργυρος (hydrargyros), which is a compound word meaning 'water' and 'silver' — since it is liquid, like water, and yet has a silvery metallic sheen.

The element was named after the Roman god Mercury, known for speed and mobility. It is associated with the planet Mercury. The astrological symbol for the planet is also one of the alchemical symbols for the metal.

Mercury is the only metal for which the alchemical planetary name became the common name.

From Pocket Wikipedia, http://www.free-soft.ro/pocket-wikipedia/

Types of Totem Poles

Totem poles can be made to fill a variety of needs, but their primary purpose is to commemorate a person or event. Some of the most common types of totems are entryway totem poles. These are placed at the entryway of a home to serve as a coat of arms of sorts. Entryway totems mainly serve to honor ancestors, make the family or clan's social and economic standing known, broadcast family accomplishments or detail a spiritual event.

On a more literal level, mortuary poles honor the dead by holding deceased ancestors' remains. Mortuary poles are like urns -- they contain a cavity that holds a deceased person's ashes.

Ridicule poles, also called shame poles, are used to elicit public embarrassment, usually for unpaid debts. Shame poles aren't erected very much anymore, mostly because American Indians strive for solidarity, rather than fighting amongst each other.

From http://people.howstuffworks.com/totem-pole3.htm

Lincoln on productivity

Abe Lincoln's productivity secret was to use sharper tools to get the job done more efficiently.
He said: "If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend the first four hours sharpening the axe."

See full article at http://lifehacker.com/5814019/work-smarter-and-more-easily-by-sharpening-your-axe