Thursday 28 June 2012

Above the fold

"Above the fold" is a graphic design concept that refers to the location of an important news story or a visually appealing photograph on the upper half of the front page of a newspaper …

Most papers are delivered and displayed to customers folded up, meaning that only the top half of the front page is visible.

The term can be used more generally to refer to anything that is prominently displayed or of highest priority.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Above_the_fold

Sunday 24 June 2012

The world's fastest wallpaperers

They smashed the record for the fastest team of two to hang three strips of wallpaper.

See full article in Lancashire Telegraph at http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/rossendale/9639506.Accrington_college_decorators_are_world_s_fastest_wallpaperers/

Friday 22 June 2012

Three up, two down

Sergeant First Class

Considered high ranking in enlisted ranks, given very much responsibility, taking charge over many soldiers of all ranks below him/her. Usually in charge of a platoon/section.

Insignia is three up, two down - <<<))

See full article at http://www.mitchpileggi.net/Deep_Background/resources/military/milrank.htm

Monday 18 June 2012

A Ship's Chadburn

An engine order telegraph or E.O.T., often also chadburn, is a communications device used on a ship (or submarine) for the pilot on the bridge to order engineers in the engine room to power the vessel at a certain desired speed. In early vessels, from the 19th century until about 1950, the device usually consisted of a round dial about nine inches (~20 centimetres) in diameter with a knob at the center attached to one or more handles, and an indicator pointer on the face of the dial. Modern E.O.T.s on vessels which still use them use electronic light and sound signals.

Traditional E.O.T.s required a pilot wanting to change speed to "ring" the telegraph on the bridge, moving the handle to a different position on the dial. This would ring a bell in the engine room and move their pointer to the position on the dial selected by the bridge. The engineers hear the bell and move their handle to the same position to signal their acknowledgment of the order, and adjust the engine speed accordingly. Such an order is called a "bell," for example the order for a ship's maximum speed, flank speed, is called a "flank bell."

For urgent orders requiring rapid acceleration, the handle is moved three times so that the engine room bell is rung three times. This is called a "cavitate bell" because the rapid acceleration of the ship's propeller will cause the water around it to cavitate, causing a lot of noise and wear on the propellers. Such noise is undesirable during conflicts because it can give away a vessel's position.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_order_telegraph

Tuesday 12 June 2012

What is Ground Hog day?

Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated in United States and Canada on February 2.
In weather lore, if a groundhog, also known as a woodchuck, marmot, or ground squirrel, emerges from its burrow on this day and fails to see its shadow because the weather is cloudy, winter will soon end.
If on the other hand, it is sunny and the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for 6 more weeks.

from http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_Ground_Hog_day_and_how_did_it_get_started

Thursday 7 June 2012

Odd flag

Nepal is the only country in the world that doesn't have a rectangular flag.

The Nepalese flag is shaped like two overlapping triangles

See more about strange flags at http://www.oddee.com/item_96845.aspx

Monday 4 June 2012

The 50-year rule

A few years ago, I created a rule for myself that I try to follow when I’m faced with a tough decision:

All else being equal, choose the thing you’ll still remember in 50 years.

 

See full article at http://advancedriskology.com/50-year-rule/

Friday 1 June 2012

If you wouldn't wake up early to do it, you probably shouldn't stay up late to do it

Don't stay up past your normal bedtime to do something that you wouldn't be willing to wake up earlier than your normal wake time.

It's easy to stay up an hour to late playing on the computer or watching a movie, but it would be very difficult to convince yourself to set your alarm for an hour earlier to do that same activity. Either way, you're losing an hour of sleep.

See full article at http://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/uaf36/lpt_if_you_wouldnt_wake_up_early_to_do_it_you/