Nice Catch

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I’m always lovin’ the McDonald’s Fillet-O-Fish sandwich. I can remember going to that old walk up restaurant for a fish sandwich and a bag of fries. Mmmmmmmmmmm!!!!  Sooo great. So, check out that photo second to bottom—two iconic logos. But only one makes the fish sandwich. The other one will buy you one next time we’re together. And look there at the bottom. The mother of all fish sandwiches…the double Fillet-O-Fish sandwich!  Guess what I had for lunch today. Yep, two of them!!!!!  :))))))

Like most of you I’m guessing, I’m not much of a regular fast-food guy. Most often I eat at the office, with the gang out on the production floor, or at my desk, grinding over your PIA (Pain in the @%$) Jobs! Or actually just looking out at the beautiful Lake Erie! Of course, when I’m out and about, I’ll occasionally pop in for a quick burger, chicken or egg sandwich or tasty shake now and then (and of course some of those yummy hot French fries). But I must admit, during Lent, I was all about the Filet-O-Fish sandwiches at McDonald’s. It might be the light breading, it might be the cheese, or the tangy sauce, but the combination of the three does it for me. Quick, tasty, and not too heavy (even when they have their 2 for $$ deals!). After one of my “stops”, when I got back to the office, one of my sisters told me the story around the FOF sandwich, and was surprised to find it came from a franchisee, much like the famous Egg McMuffin breakfast sandwich. So, here’s the backstory, along with some trivia on the sandwich and the insightful entrepreneurial courage of one guy from Ohio.  Thanks to Smithsonian, YouTube and businessinsider.com for the info.  Enjoy!

Fun jingle (and then try to get out of your head…)

And the original commercial

  • Hard to imagine, but the Filet-O-Fish almost missed the menu. Nowadays, the sandwich is iconic, and it’s responsible for a whole bunch of imitators, and remains a massive hit during Lent, when many Catholics fast and abstain from eating meat on Fridays.  But the sandwich’s enduring success contrasts with its floundering start.
  • When Lou Groen opened the first McDonald’s in the Cincinnati area in 1959, business was tough. McDonald’s was new to the area—the McDonald brothers had only just begun to franchise their stores six years prior. Groen’s son, Paul, who worked at his father’s McDonald’s for 20 years straight (starting at 10 cents per hour!) remembers how hard his parents worked to keep the business alive in the beginning. Paul said, “On opening day, my father made $307.38 in sales. The restaurant only had two walk up windows, one register at each window. There was no inside seating. How do you run a business on $300 a day? My mom and dad were just struggling to make it.”
  • Though Lou Groen’s restaurant was one of 68 new franchises opened that year by founder Ray Kroc, there was something about Monfort Heights, Ohio, that didn’t bode well for a little-known burger joint during Lent: About 87 percent of the population was Catholic. Lou shared, “I was struggling. The crew was my wife, myself, and a man named George. I did repairs, swept floors, you name it. But my area was 87 percent Catholic. On Fridays we only took in about $75 a day.”
  • So Groen went to work creating a simple, battered, halibut-based prototype, with a slice of cheese between two buns, and went to Chicago to pitch it to founder Ray Kroc.
  • But Kroc hated the idea. He described his initial reaction in his book: “Hell no! I don’t care if the Pope himself comes to Cincinnati. He can eat hamburgers like everybody else. We are not going to stink up our restaurants with any of your damned fish.”
  • Kroc also had a meat alternative idea of his own, called the “Hula Burger,” a piece of grilled pineapple and cheese on a bun. But Kroc was willing to compromise: On Good Friday in 1962, both the Hula Burger and the Filet-O-Fish sandwiches would appear on the menu in selected locations—whichever sandwich sold the most would win. The final score? Hula Burger: 6, Filet-O-Fish: 350.
  • By 1965, the Filet-O-Fish, ”the fish that catches people”, became a staple on the McDonald’s menu nationwide among other greats like the Big Mac and the Egg McMuffin. Kroc would later recall the failure of his pineapple creation and the success of the sandwich in his biography Grinding it Out: The Making of McDonald’s – “It  was a giant flop when we tried it in our stores. One customer said, ‘I like the hula, but where’s the burger?”  The success of the sandwich, especially during Lent, would far surpass Groen’s initial expectations.
  • Kroc reluctantly spread the sandwich to the chain restaurants, commenting, “You fellows just watch. Now that we’ve invested in all this equipment to handle fish, the Pope will change the rules.”
  • The company has gone through plenty of advertisements for the sandwich, but one character in particular, remains somewhat elusive—A cartoon by the name of Phil A. O’Fish had a brief stint as the face of the marketing campaign for Groen’s invention in 1976. But by ’77, the anthropomorphic sailor fish was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a simple advertisement that offered some “Food For Thought.”
  • The sandwich was the subject of a 1970s advertising campaign featuring a jingle with the lyrics, “Give me back that Filet-O-Fish, give me that fish.” In 2009, a different fishy fellow took the spotlight with the popular “Gimme Back That Filet-O-Fish” commercial featuring a singing, bass wall decoration. It did so well on television and on YouTube, (reaching over one million views in 2009) that the corporation sold the singing fish commercially.
  • The Filet-O-Fish sandwich has featured real fish since Groen wrote up the recipe in the ’60s (believe it or not). Whether the fish was sustainable, however, was up for debate. In the past, the company as well as other chains like Long John Silver’s have used the New Zealand hoki fish, whose population had diminished, followed by the addition of the sustainable blue “ecolabel” from the Marine Stewardship Council which certifies that the Alaskan Pollock used in the sandwiches come from places with sustainable fishing practices.
  • The item ended up being a “cash cow” for Groen. In the years following the Filet-O-Fish’s debut, he built 43 franchise locations in Cincinnati, hired 3,000 people, and began raking in annual sales of $60 million. He passed in 2011, and his family remains in the business.
  •  McDonald’s sells over 300 million Filet-O-Fish sandwiches each year worldwide.
  • In some locations, the Filet-O-Fish sandwich is sold in a “Double Filet-O-Fish” version, which includes two fish patties. It’s popular in many countries, including Japan, where it is served with a teriyaki sauce, and India, where it is made with a spicy sauce.

 

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DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

SWEET

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CHOCOLATE!!!  What more needs to be said?  Read on to find out…  :)))))))

Another favorite time for me is Easter morning – and memories of my girls hunting for their  easter baskets, filled with Resses’s Easter eggs, jellybeans, and of course yummy chocolates. Our rules were simple, you had to find your basket, if you found someone else’s nothing could be said.  Occasionally one of them would not be able to find their basket before church,  it goes without saying that they were not happy during mass. Over the years Jackie and I had to get very creative in hiding the baskets which I think was half the fun!  With Easter around the corner, and for many of you who gave up chocolate for Lent, I thought I’d share with you some chocolate trivia you can consume and share with the family.  It’s no surprise that chocolate has been around for some time … in an article published by The University of British Columbia, a study uncovered evidence of cocoa’s domestication between 5,300 and 2,100 years ago. It’s no surprise that cocoa and chocolate have been delighting consumers for some time.  So, here is some fun music to click on, and fun facts to enjoy.  Thanks to wired.com, The Natural History Museum of Utah, thechocolatewebsite.com, Google, Wikipedia, forbes.com, theguardian.com, and YouTube for the info and links.

Music link

Chocolate comes from the cacao tree, which is native to Central and South America.

The fruit of the cacao tree is a melon-shaped pod that grows directly from the tree’s trunk or limbs. The pods begin as small flowers, which are pollinated by a tiny midge (rather than a bee). Successfully pollinated flowers bear fruit, and that fruit becomes the cacao pod. There are anywhere from 20 to 50 cream-colored seeds (called beans) inside each pod. The seeds, each roughly the size of an olive, are surrounded by a milky-white pulp.  As pods ripen, they turn varying shades of orange, yellow, and red.

Although cacao originated in Central and South America thousands of years ago, over 66% of the entire world’s cacao is grown in Africa. Côte d’Ivoire alone produces over 33% of the world’s supply of chocolate. 90% of the world’s cacao is grown on small family-run farms, no larger than 12 acres. . Typically, there are two annual harvests.  Cacao trees can live to be 200 years old, but they produce marketable cocoa beans for only 25 years.

The word “chocolate” comes from the Aztec word “xocolatl,” which means “bitter water.”

and the name for the cacao plant, Theobroma cacao, means “food of the gods.” Jackie would absolutely agree with this!  . As early as 1900 B.C., a prehistoric culture called the Mokaya were processing and consuming a liquid that seems to have been chocolate.

Over the following millennium, chocolate became an important drink in Mesoamerica. It was used in rituals like burials, weddings, and baptisms by the cultures that followed: the Olmecs, the Mayans, and the Aztecs. It was so valued that it was used in place of money by the Mayans and Aztecs. According to a 16th-century Aztec document, one cacao bean could be traded for a tamale and 100 could be traded for a turkey hen.

Chocolate was originally consumed as a bitter beverage, and it wasn’t until the 16th century that sugar was added to make it sweeter.

But before chocolate became the sweet worldwide phenomenon we know today, Mesoamerican cultures made bitter drinks with the cacao bean. Some of these drinks were made of the fermented pulp around the beans, and their drinking chocolate was made from the ground cacao bean, water, and flavorings like corn, chilies, honey, vanilla, and agave syrup.

Cacao only grows in certain climates.

Chocolate emerged as a product of Mesoamerica, although cacao is native to South America, specifically the Amazonian basin. While we think of vigorous vegetation when we consider Amazonian rainforests, it turns out that cacao is a finicky plant to grow. In fact, cacao only grows within 20 degrees latitude (north and south) of the equator. The trees need light, but not too intense UV light. They need humidity and moisture, generally 40-100 inches of rain per year. And they need constant, warm-to-hot temperatures all year long (60-90 degrees Fahrenheit). The pollinator for this tree is also a very small midge that only thrives in a very humid and moist environment.

White chocolate is not actually chocolate at all, as it contains no cocoa solids.

White chocolate is a confectionery typically made of sugar, milk, and cocoa butter, but no cocoa solids. It is pale ivory in color,

In 1937, the white chocolate Galak was launched in Europe by the Swiss company Nestlé. From about 1948 until the 1990s, Nestlé produced a white chocolate bar with almond pieces, Alpine White, for markets in the US and Canada.  Hershey began mass production of white Hershey’s Kisses in the 1990s, a product that diversified during the early 21st century to include a chocolate white-dark swirl Kiss called the Hug.

The world’s largest chocolate bar weighed over 12,000 pounds and was made in Italy in 2010.

The largest chocolate bar weighed 12,770 lb 4.48 oz and was created by Thorntons PLC in Alfreton, Derbyshire, UK on October 7, 2011. The chocolate bar measured 13 ft 1.48 in by 4.0 13 ft 1.48 in by 1 ft 1.78 in. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/oct/12/chocolate-world-record-broken-by-thorntons

Chocolate has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. 

One fact is clear for chocolate: the purer and darker the chocolate, the greater your health benefits.. Dark chocolate has anywhere from 50 to 90 percent cocoa solids, while milk chocolate is typically 10 to 30 percent. To get noticeable health benefits from chocolate, you need to eat more of the cocoa solids found in dark chocolate. Cocoa solids contain minerals and antioxidants;. Dark chocolate is especially rich in flavanols like epicatechin and catechin, as well as anthocyanins and phenolic acids. All of these compounds help protect your cells from inflammation, improve your brain function, and boost your immune and cardiovascular health. Dark chocolate can also give you cardiovascular support.

The antioxidants in dark chocolate help to lower bad cholesterol levels and prevent plaque on artery walls, while the flavanols in chocolate are good for lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow. Eating dark chocolate in moderation can lower your chances of heart disease and also ease lower inflammation in the body. Plus, theobromine (mentioned earlier), a compound in dark chocolate, has similar effects to caffeine for boosting energy and overall morale. It helps to enhance mood and make you more alert. All said, I’ll have another bite!

The Swiss consume more chocolate per capita than any other country in the world.

The Swiss are the leaders in per capita consumption, weighing in at 19.8 lbs per person, with Germany second, Ireland third and UK fourth. The US is ninth, at 9.5lbs – equal to about 2.8 billion pounds per year. That said, I’ll do my best to help us move up in the rankings.

 

May you enjoy a blessed Easter, and rejoice in HIS glory.

 

 

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DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Fooled Ya!

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Be careful out there. Not everything is as it seems. Tricks, traps and smooth talkers are everywhere. Read on for some of the most famous cons ever.

Tomorrow is one of my favorite days of the year.  It’s when I get to play some practical jokes on the family.  Nothing too serious of course, but all in good fun. I have to admit I am not nearly as good at this as my girls!  it’s especially fun with the grandkids, as they are not old enough to know what I’m really up to. Although in full disclosure I think they will never really know what I’m up to anyways! (That’s part of my charm!)To trick, or con someone, on a larger scale to me is morally unjust and legally inadvisable – but there is nonetheless an art to pulling off an effective con. Throughout history, there’s been some doozies – some are so outlandish, so conniving, and so audacious that we can’t help but be fascinated. Thanks to the internet and the digital nature of scams like phishing, it’s getting harder and harder to actually fooling people to follow your tricks. But once upon a time, cons were up close and personal. Special thanks to mentalfloss.com and spyscape.com for the stories – I picked some of my favorite hoaxes, impersonations and other tricks.  Enjoy!

Here’s some music to enjoy while you read (it will make sense when you read the last con)

Selling the Eiffel Tower

As is probably fitting, much of the life of Victor Lustig is unclear, including his name (when he was at Alcatraz, he was held under Robert V. Miller). Lustig was a famous counterfeiter, but it’s said his biggest swindle came in 1925, when he had documentation arranged identifying him as the “Deputy Director General of the Ministère de Postes et Télégraphes.” The premise was simple: Lustig set up meetings with scrap iron dealers and told them that the Eiffel Tower, then in desperate need of repair, was going to be demolished and its materials sold off to the highest bidder. All of the dealers were interested, but Lustig fixated on André Poisson, asking Poisson for a bribe in order to “award” him the materials. After securing the money, Lustig fled France but soon returned to try to perpetuate the same scam a second time…he went to jail.

The Man Who “Revealed” Howard Hughes

A writer of little regard in the 1970s, Clifford Irving concocted a literary scheme for the ages. He approached publisher McGraw-Hill in 1971 claiming that he had struck up a rapport with eccentric aviator and billionaire Howard Hughes, who had largely retreated from public life. Irving’s con was simple: He offered editors an autobiography of Hughes, one he would secretly invent out of whole cloth, and bank on the fact that Hughes would never come forward to debunk it. After netting hundreds of thousands of dollars for various publishing deals, Irving was dismayed to discover Hughes could indeed be bothered to come out of hiding and deny any knowledge of Irving or his book. In 1972, Irving and his wife and co-conspirator, Edith, pled guilty to conspiracy in federal court and conspiracy and grand larceny in state court. Irving went to prison for 17 months, but a book did materialize: 1972’s Clifford Irving: What Really Happened (later retitled The Hoax), in which Irving recounted the con in detail. Irving, who died in 2017, said he thought it was a harmless “joke” and that he would do it again if given the chance.

The Golden Gulch Gold Mine

The secret to good business for Ed Barbara, a furniture salesman in the San Francisco Bay area in the 1970s and 1980s, was irritation. Barbara became a well-known figure by peppering the region with annoying commercials. He also did more than just irritate: In 1984, Barbara declared he had a 50 percent interest in the Golden Gulch gold mine near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. The site was said to be prepared to excavate gold worth as much as $93 million in the first year alone; Barbara’s company, Dynapac, Inc., sold shares, netting Barbara big profits.  It was a con, of course. A whistleblower, mine assayer David Fingado, disclosed the mine was meritless to CNN. Less than a week later, he was dead after a highly suspicious car crash (though the official report determined it was an accident. Barbara fled before being hauled back to New Mexico to stand trial on fraud and racketeering charges. He racked up guilty verdicts in 1988 but fled on bail and remained a fugitive until his death in 1990.

The NASCAR Driver Who Wasn’t

It takes guts and glory to drive on the NASCAR circuit. Alternately, you could just lie your face off and hope for the best. That was the strategy for L.W. Wright, who entered the Winston 500 race in Talladega, Alabama, in 1982 and who (falsely) claimed country music star Merle Haggard was a sponsor. Wright then went around in search of a race car and convinced several race veterans to part with money so he could get some wheels under him. All of it seemed on the level because it seemed preposterous anyone would lie about being a NASCAR pro. Wright performed poorly, completing just 13 out of 188 laps—enough for second-to-last place, because the car in last place crashed—and then disappeared in a haze of bounced checks and no real hint as to his actual identity.

The Trunk Scam

In the 1700s, Barbara Erni traveled in and around Liechtenstein toting a large trunk secured to her back. Living a nomadic existence, she would make frequent stops to secure lodging for the night. Each time, Erni would tell the innkeeper that her trunk contained her most valued possessions and to put it in the most secure room in the inn. The owners obliged, unaware that the trunk didn’t hold clothes or jewels—it contained a co-conspirator who would spring out of the trunk, scoop up any valuables, and then disappear with Erni in tow. The plot worked for 15 years until Erni and her partner were arrested in 1784. As a sentence for their crimes, the two lost their most valuable possessions: their heads.

The Record-Setting Con

In the late 1980s, pop music heralded the arrival of Milli Vanilli, an energetic song-and-dance duo that had a hit album, Girl You Know It’s True, and the Grammy for Best New Artist. Performers Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan certainly looked the part of pop stars, with model looks and sharp dance moves. They had come out of the Munich music scene and were signed by producer Frank Farian, who decided that a complete pop package would need something more—like singing talent. Farian masterminded a plot in which Rob and Fab would be the faces of Milli Vanilli while other vocalists did the heavy lifting. Farian later claimed he didn’t know the act would get as big as it did. After three number one singles and worldwide adoration, the band was subjected to more scrutiny, and Rob and Fab started demanding to do their own singing. Rather than allow that, a panicking Farian held a press conference where he disclosed the truth.

Bunch more if interested: CLICK

 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Off Walkin’

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The many benefits of walking are listed below. And remember, if you’re having trouble getting motivated to walk every day, get a dog!  :))))))

This late winter, and early spring weather has me in the best mood.  Living in NE Ohio, we sort of expect it to be cold and wintery through March – but what a treat this weather has been.  Sunny mornings, warmer days, and clear skies. With the itch to get out, I’ve been continuing  my running, but also am enjoying leisurely walks. Getting out really early in the morning allows me to  experience beautiful Cleveland waking up. Even if it’s a little crisp, Jackie and I  find the time to stroll, catching up on our day, chatting about the kids and grandkids, and just enjoying “being outside”.  For those of you in warmer climates, this may not make as much sense, but up north, it’s a blessing. Walking in 15F weather through 18” of the white stuff isn’t as much fun!  I went online to find some good reasons to convince you to get away from the “screens” for a bit and get outside.  Enjoy, and thanks to  for the tips, and You Tube for the walking music.  Enjoy!!

Some high steppin’ tunes – keep listening as there are many songs to enjoy (skip commercials)

Walking can offer numerous health benefits to people of all ages and fitness levels. Walking is free to do and easy to fit into your daily routine. All you need to start walking is a sturdy pair of walking shoes. You can walk alone or bring a friend or two or three! Here are some of the benefits of walking.

1. Burn calories 

Walking can help you burn calories. Burning calories can help you maintain or lose weight. Your actual calorie burn will depend on several factors, including: walking speed, distance covered, terrain (you’ll burn more calories walking uphill than you’ll burn on a flat surface). You can determine your actual calorie burn through a calorie calculator.

2. Strengthen your heart 

Walking at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week can reduce your risk for coronary heart disease by about 19 percent. And your risk may reduce even more when you increase the duration or distance you walk per day.

3. Can help lower your blood sugar 

Taking a short walk after eating may help lower your blood sugar.  A small study found that taking a 15-minute walk three times a day (after breakfast, lunch, and dinner) improved blood sugar levels more than taking a 45-minute walk at another point during the day.  Consider making a post-meal walk a regular part of your routine. It can also help you fit exercise in throughout the day.

4. Eases joint pain

Walking can help protect the joints, including your knees and hips, because it helps lubricate and strengthen the muscles that support the joints. Walking may also provide benefits for people living with arthritis, such as reducing pain. And walking 5 to 6 miles a week may also help prevent arthritis.

5. Boosts immune function 

Walking may reduce your risk for developing a cold or the flu. One study tracked 1,000 adults during flu season. Those who walked at a moderate pace for 30 to 45 minutes a day had 43 percent fewer sick days and fewer upper respiratory tract infections overall. Their symptoms were also lessened if they did get sick, compared to adults in the study who were sedentary.

6. Boost your energy 

Going for a walk when you’re tired may be a more effective energy boost than grabbing a cup of coffee. Walking increases oxygen flow through the body. It can also increase levels of cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine – the hormones that help elevate energy levels.

7. Improve your mood 

Walking can help your mental health. Studies show it can help reduce anxiety, depression, and a negative mood. It can also boost self-esteem and reduce symptoms of social withdrawal.  To experience these benefits, aim for 30 minutes of brisk walking or other moderate intensity exercise three days a week. Remember you can always walk to your favorite ice cream shop (Malley’s and Mitchell’s for us Cleveland folks). This is guaranteed to improve your mood!

8. Extend your life

Walking at a faster pace could extend your life. Researchers have found that walking at an average pace compared to a slow pace resulted in a 20 percent reduced risk of overall death.

But walking at a brisk or fast pace (at least 4 miles per hour) reduced the risk by 24 percent.

9. Tone your legs 

Walking can strengthen the muscles in your legs. To build up more strength, walk in a hilly area or on a treadmill with an incline, or find routes with stairs. Also trade off walking with other cross-training activities like cycling or jogging. For my ambitious buds, you can also perform resistance exercises like squats, lunges, and leg curls to further tone and strengthen your leg muscles. I would simply recommend not doing squats while you walk!

10. Creative thinking – Helping Us with Your PIA (Pain in the @$%) Jobs!

Walking helps clear your head and help you think creatively. A study that included four experiments compared people trying to think of new ideas while they were walking or sitting. Researchers found participants did better while walking, particularly while walking outdoors.

The researchers concluded that walking opens up a free flow of ideas and is a simple way to increase creativity and get physical activity at the same time.

Tips for staying safe while walking:

– Walk in areas designated for pedestrians. Look for well-lit areas if possible.

– In the evening or early morning hours, wear a reflective vest or light so cars can see you.

– Wear sturdy shoes with good heel and arch support.

– Wear loose, comfortable clothing.

– Drink plenty of water before and after your walk to stay hydrated.

– Wear sunscreen to prevent sunburn, even on cloudy days.

– ALWAYS look both ways before crossing streets and intersections.  Watch out for buses!

So, get walkin’.  Recruit a friend or family member to walk with you (and hold you accountable).

Consider getting a pedometer or other fitness tracker to keep track of your daily steps.

Be Safe – Have fun!

 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

That’s Corny

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St. Paddy’s Day is a fun day!!  :))))

Eh laddies – Stephen O’Brien Kirkpatrick Schemas Finnigan O’Kowalski here – just getting you ready for one of my favorite days of the year – St Patrick’s Day. For me, it’s hard to think of St. Patrick’s Day without glittered shamrocks, parades, green beer, leprechauns, and of course, corned beef and cabbage. Surprisingly, if you went to Ireland on St. Paddy’s Day, you would not find any of these things except maybe the glittered shamrocks. Leprechauns are not jolly, friendly cereal box characters, but mischievous nasty little fellows. And, just as much as the Irish would not pollute their beer with green dye, they would not eat corned beef, especially on St. Patrick’s Day. So, here’s some trivia you can share around the dinner table as you eat like a king and raise a pint or two in good cheer.  Enjoy, and thanks to Smithsonian Magazine for the info.

Fun music while you read: CLICK

  • The unpopularity of corned beef in Ireland comes from its relationship with beef in general. From early on, cattle in Ireland were not used for their meat but for their strength in the fields, for their milk and for the dairy products produced.
  • In Gaelic Ireland, cows were a symbol of wealth and a sacred animal. Because of their sacred association, they were only killed for their meat if the cows were too old to work or produce milk. So, beef was not even a part of the diet for most of the population. Only the wealthy few were able to eat the meat on a celebration or festival.
  • During the early times, beef was “salted” to be preserved. The first salted beef in Ireland was actually not made with salt but with sea ash, the product of burning seaweed. Pigs were the most prevalent animal bred only to be eaten; from ancient times to today, it earned the reputation as the most eaten meat in Ireland.
  • The Irish diet and way of life stayed pretty much the same for centuries until England conquered most of the country. The British were the ones who changed the sacred cow into a commodity, fueled beef production, and introduced the potato. The British had been a beef eating culture since the invasion of the Roman armies. England had to outsource to Ireland, Scotland and eventually North America to satisfy the growing palate of their people.
  • Herds of cattle were exported by the tens of thousands each year from Ireland to England. But, the Cattle Acts of 1663 and 1667 were what fueled the Irish corned beef industry. These acts prohibited the export of live cattle to England, which drastically flooded the Irish market and lowered the cost of meat available for salted beef production. The British invented the term “corned beef” in the 17th century to describe the size of the salt crystals used to cure the meat, the size of corn kernels. After the Cattle Acts, salt was the main reason Ireland became the hub for corned beef.
  • Ireland’s salt tax was almost 1/10 that of England’s and could import the highest quality at an inexpensive price. With the large quantities of cattle and high quality of salt, Irish corned beef was the best on the market. It didn’t take long for Ireland to be supplying Europe and the Americas with its wares. But this corned beef was much different than what we call corned beef today. With the meat being cured with salt the size of corn kernels, the taste was much more salt than beef.
  • Ironically, the ones producing the corned beef, the Irish people, could not afford beef or corned beef for themselves. When England conquered Ireland, oppressive laws against the native Irish Catholic population began. Their land was confiscated and feudal like plantations were set up. If the Irish could afford any meat at all, salted pork or bacon was consumed. What the Irish really relied on was – you guessed right – the potato.
  • By the end of the 18th century, the demand for Irish corned beef began to decline as the North American colonies began producing their own. Over the next 50 years, the glory days of Irish corned beef were over. By 1845, a potato blight broke out in Ireland completely destroying the food source for most of the Irish population, and The Great Famine began. Without help from the British government, the Irish people were forced to work to death, starve or immigrate. About a million people died and another million immigrated on “coffin ships” to the US. To this day, the Irish population is still less than it was before The Great Famine.
  • In America, the Irish were once again faced with the challenges of prejudice. To make it easier, they settled together in mainly urban areas with the largest numbers in New York City. However, they were making more money than they had in Ireland under British rule. Which brings us back to corned beef. With more money for food, the Irish could afford meat for the first time. Instead of their beloved bacon, the Irish began eating beef. And, the beef they could afford just happened to be – corned beef, the thing their great grandparents were famous for.
  • The Irish Americans transformed St. Patrick’s Day from a religious feast day to a celebration of their heritage and homeland. With the celebration, came a celebratory meal. In honor of their culture, the immigrants splurged on their neighbor’s flavorful corned beef, which was accompanied by their beloved potato and the most affordable vegetable, cabbage. It didn’t take long for corned beef and cabbage to become associated with St. Patrick’s Day
  • The popularity of corned beef and cabbage never crossed the Atlantic to the homeland. Instead of corned beef and cabbage, the traditional St. Patrick’s Day meal eaten in Ireland is lamb or bacon. In fact, many of what we consider St. Patrick’s Day celebrations didn’t make it there until recently. St. Patrick’s Day parades and festivals began in the US. And, until 1970, pubs were closed by law in Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day. It was originally a day about religion and family. Today in Ireland, thanks to Irish tourism and Guinness, you will find many of the Irish American traditions.
  • Lastly, if you are looking for a connection to the home country this holiday, there are many other ways to be authentic. For starters, know that the holiday is either St. Patrick’s Day or St. Paddy’s Day and not “St. Patty’s Day”. (Paddy is the proper nickname for Patrick, while Patty is a girl’s name in Ireland.)

Recipe HERE

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DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Hickory Dickory

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Rhymes twist the tongue and tickle mind. Besides the rhymes in this blog, there are six more illustrated above. Can you name them all? Let me know in an email.  :))))

OK, I’ll admit it – I love being a Grandpa.  There’s just something about the little ones that make me smile and laugh out loud.  Seems, no matter how challenging my day is, or how many things are still on my “to do” list, I revel in the priority we make to “go see the grandkids”.  Playing silly made-up games, (my favorite is when they hand you a broken toy, and say “here, you be this guy”), or having them ask me to chase them around the house!  Climbing around on the floor with them, listening to them play by themselves, or just being together is a treat.  Recently I found myself reading some nursery rhymes – you know , those silly rhyming poems that don’t seem to make much sense. So, of course, I did some digging, and found some great history/trivia to share.  Much thanks to Wikipedia, Britannica.com, mentalfloss.comand interestingfacts.com for the insights. Now you know.  Enjoy!

A nursery rhyme is a verse customarily told or sung to small children. The oral tradition of nursery rhymes is ancient, but new verses have steadily entered the culture. Most nursery rhymes date from the 16th, 17th, and, most frequently, the 18th centuries, but some are much older.

A French poem numbering the days of the month, similar to “Thirty days hath September,” was recorded in the 13th century; but such latecomers as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” (by Ann and Jane Taylor; pub. 1806) and “Mary Had a Little Lamb” (by Sarah Josepha Hale; pub. 1830) seem to be just as firmly established.

The earliest known published collection of nursery rhymes was Tommy Thumb’s (Pretty) Song Book, 2 vol. (London, 1744). It included “Little Tom Tucker,” “Sing a Song of Sixpence,” and “Who Killed Cock Robin?” The most influential was Mother Goose’s Melody: or Sonnets for the Cradle, published by the firm of John Newbery in 1781. Among its 51 rhymes were “Jack and Jill,” “Ding Dong Bell,” and “Hush-a-bye baby on the tree top.”

Nursery rhymes have left a strong mark on many of our childhoods, but we often don’t realize where they came from. Some have evolved over centuries, bringing a whole new version to modern children, while others have remained tried and true since their inception. Here’s a couple favorites:

“Mary Had A Little Lamb” 

Mary had a little lamb
Little lamb, little lamb
Mary had a little lamb
Its fleece was white as snow.

Poet Sarah Josepha Hale first published a version of this poem in 1830. Around 50 years later, an elderly woman named Mary Sawyer stepped forward as the real Mary. Sawyer’s story goes pretty much like the version we know and love today. She did take one to school. In a letter included in a 1928 book detailing the story, Sawyer says that the lamb grew up and had a few lambs of its own. 

“Ring Around the Rosie”

Ring around the rosie
A pocket full of posies
Ashes, ashes
We all fall down.

You may have heard the popular Black Plague origin story for this rhyme, with the titular “ring” representing the red rings that would appear on the skin of people with the disease. However, there are other variations of the rhyme, such as 1883’s “Ring a ring a rosie/A bottle full of posie/All the girls in our town/Ring for little Josie,” that present different theories.

When he analyzed this version, folklorist Philip Hiscock offered a less deadly translation. Religious bans on dancing in Britain and North America in the 19th century led to “play parties,” with ring games that were similar to square dancing but without music, so the events quietly flew under the radar. “The rings referred to in the rhymes are literally the rings formed by the playing children,” explains Hiscock. “‘Ashes, ashes’ probably comes from something like ‘Husha, husha,’ another common variant which refers to stopping the ring and falling silent. And the falling down refers to the jumble of bodies in that ring when they let go of each other and throw themselves into the circle.”  

“Rub a Dub Dub”

Rub-a-dub-dub,
Three men in a tub,
And who do you think they be?
The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker,
And all of them out to sea.

Most American children know a heavily revised version of this rhyme with only men in a tub. But you need the original version to understand the origins of this 14th-century phrase: Hey, rub-a-dub – Ho, rub-a-dub – Three maids in a tub – And who do you think were there? – The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker – And all of them going to the fair. According to author Chris Roberts, the “tub” here refers to a bawdy fairground attraction. “Today it would be perhaps a seedy venue,” Roberts said in 2005. “The upper-class, the respectable tradesfolk — the candlestick maker and the butcher and the baker — are ogling, getting an eyeful of some young ladies in a tub.” Mercy!

“Humpty Dumpty”

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

There’s nothing that makes Humpty an egg in this rhyme! That image was popularized by Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass in 1871, decades after the rhyme’s inception. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “humpty dumpty” had a few meanings before the wall came into it, including a drink with brandy and a short, dumpy, clumsy person. An 1881 book even features images of Humpty as a clown. A popular theory is that “humpty dumpty” refers to a cannon used during the Siege of Colchester in 1648. The idea that this rhyme is some kind of wartime ballad is pretty common. Before the cannon theory got traction, many believed the rhyme was about the usurpation of Richard III in 1483. However, according to the Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, the root of this nursery rhyme could be more innocent. While it’s unclear whether this game predates the rhyme, Humpty Dumpty was a popular game in the 19th century where girls would tuck their legs into their skirts, fall back, and then try to regain balance without letting go of their skirts. “Eggs do not sit on walls,” authors Peter and Iona Opie write. “But the verse becomes intelligible if it describes human beings who are impersonating eggs.”

“Hickory Dickory Dock”

Hickory dickory dock
The mouse went up the clock
The clock struck one
The mouse went down
Hickory dickory dock.

Some believe this counting rhyme was inspired by the astronomical clock at Exeter Cathedral in Devon, England, which was plagued by mice. Around 1600, the presiding bishop directed carpenters to cut a hole in the door to the clock room — or, as the records said at the time, “Paid ye carpenters 8d for cutting ye hole in ye north transept door for ye Bishop’s cat.” The cathedral’s cats got easy access to prey, cutting down the vermin population. Centuries later, the door is still there. But there’s a reason mice were so common around the clockwork: Animal fat was often used to lubricate clock parts during that time. It’s possible it was just written about a pretty normal thing to be happening on a clock at the time, but that’s not as fun.

To learn more, CLICK HERE 

 

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DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
 

Delivered

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Letters are still really special to receive. But special delivery letters were super special!!!  :))))

Often, we take things for granted. Flip a switch, and the lights work, turn on the faucet and the water flows, adjust the thermostat and the heat goes up or log into Google and do a search.  You can add, push a button, and the car starts.  Yesterday I got an extra early start at the office (for those that know me, that’s really early) and caught up on some mail awaiting my attention.  I got to thinking about the ease of which mail still works – write a letter, affix a stamp, leave for the mail carrier and it soon arrives at its destination. (Talk about a PIA (Pain in the @%$) Job! Seems a bit dated with the speed of email and Zoom conferences, but it’s still a key function of running a successful business. I looked online to learn a bit more about the history of our mail system, and found out today, March 3 had some meaningful postal  milestones, 1847 – US Post Office issues first postage stamp, 1855 – US Congress authorizes registered mail, 1863 – free city delivery replaces zone postage, and 1885 – US Post Office offer special delivery for first class mail… funny how they all fell on the same day of the year. We continue to see innovations and improvements to our mail system Interested in seeing how electric vehicles – automation gets implemented in the delivery process. I did some digging on Special Deliveries and wanted to share the following info.

For those SNL fans who remember “landshark”: CLICK HERE!!!!!

  • U.S. Special Delivery was a postal service paid for with additional postage for urgent letters and postal packets which are delivered in less time than by standard or first-class mail service. Different and separate from express mail delivery service, it meant that a postal packet was delivered from a post office to the addressee immediately once it arrived at the post office responsible for delivering it, rather than waiting for the next regular delivery to the addressee.
  • The U.S. Post Office in conjunction with the Universal Postal Union established a basis for a special service for speedier delivery of mail for an extra fee beginning in 1885. Special Delivery was at first limited to post offices that operated in townships with populations of 4,000 or more.
  • In 1885 Congress enacted the use of “a special stamp of the face valuation of ten cents … [that] when attached to a letter, in addition to the lawful postage thereon … shall be regarded as entitling such letter to immediate delivery.”
  • The first Special delivery stamp was printed by the American Bank Note Company and issued on October 1, 1885. It could not be used to prepay postage or any other service. The stamp bears the words “Secures immediate delivery at a special delivery office,”.
  • In 1886 Congress revised Special Delivery service to all U.S. post offices. Special Delivery service was in operation from 1885 to 1997 whereby the letter would be dispatched immediately and directly from the receiving post office to the recipient rather than being put in mail for distribution on the regular delivery route.
  • Five distinct issues showing the running messenger were made. Beginning in 1902 and continuing for 20 years, Special Delivery messengers were issued bicycles to deliver the mail and correspondingly a stamp was issued that year which depicted a messenger riding a bicycle and delivering the mail.
  • In 1908 a helmet of the god Mercury was briefly used for the design, with the stamp often called the Merry Widow issue after a popular opera in which the lead singer wore a large hat. The bicycle design was reinstated and continued with subsequent issues having differences in perforations and watermarks. The series ended in 1922 when a messenger riding a motorcycle was shown, replaced by a truck in 1925. In the following years the truck and motorcycle pictures reappeared as rates changed and various color, printing and perforation varieties were created.
  • Finally in 1954 a design featuring hands passing a letter went into use. The last image, instituted in 1969, portrayed arrows. Overall philatelists recognize 23 separate issues of special delivery stamps spanning the years 1885 to 1971.
  • Three Airmail Special Delivery stamps were issued in the 1930s, two regular ones and an imperforated issue. In used condition none of the special delivery stamps are particularly scarce. In 1977, the Postal Service introduced Express Mail; the two services operated concurrently for the next 20 years.
  • On June 7, 1997, the United States Postal Service terminated Special Delivery mail service which left many unused Special Delivery stamps in circulation that were no longer valid for such postage. The remaining stamps were allowed to be returned to the Post Office for their face value as “services were not rendered”.  Amazing the change since 1997 in the mail service and delivery in general!
  • In 2021, the following stats describe the scale of the US Post office:

                 Employees:  516,636

                Mail Volume:  128.9B

                First Class Mail:  50.7B

                Shipping/Packages: 7.6B

                Delivery Points:  163.1M

                Address changes:    36M

                Retail Offices:  34,223

                Total delivery Routes:  233,171

                Total Vehicles:  232,368

  • Announced in Dec ’22, USPS intends to deploy over 66,000 battery electric vehicles by 2028, making one of the largest electric vehicle fleets in the nation. The initiative is boosted by postal service “Delivering for America” network modernization and funding from Congress. The feasibility of achieving 100% electrification for the overall Postal Service delivery vehicle fleet will continue to be explored. Beyond vehicle mix changes, postal network modernization efforts will drive additional substantial carbon reductions through logistics improvements and reduced transportation.

 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Pearly Whites

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Even if the kids don’t brush quite right, they sure are fun to watch.  :)))))))

For those of you with young kids, or those with grandkids, you’ll agree each of them have a very specialized bedtime routine.  Specific times to “start the routine”, certain pjs to wear, games to play, books to read, prayers to recite and of course teeth to brush.  If your family is anything like mine, the little ones are not all that great when it comes to tooth care – a little paste, water, and quick pass on the enamel, with a rinse and spit. Often times I think the spitting is their favorite part! Looking in the medicine cabinet at all the tubes and brushes, I got to thinking about all those tooth brushes out there and the history behind it.  Come to find out, today marks the anniversary date of when the DuPont company introduced the nylon fiber used in toothbrushes way back in 1938. (be sure to check out the production video below).  So, I did some KHT digging and found out some fun stuff about toothbrushes. Now when you tuck the little ones in, you can share some of your toothy knowledge.  Enjoy, and thanks to Wikipedia and YouTube for the info.

Production Video

  • A toothbrush is an oral hygiene tool used to clean the teeth, gums, and tongue. It consists of a head of tightly clustered bristles, atop of which toothpaste can be applied, mounted on a handle which facilitates the cleaning of hard-to-reach areas of the mouth.
  • The predecessor of the toothbrush is the chew stick. Chew sticks were twigs with frayed ends used to brush the teeth while the other end was used as a toothpick. The earliest chew sticks were discovered in Sumer in southern Mesopotamia in 3500 BC, an Egyptian tomb dating from 3000 BC, and mentioned in Chinese records dating from 1600 BC.
  • The first bristle toothbrush resembling the modern one was found in China. Used during the Tang Dynasty (619–907), it consisted of hog bristles sourced from hogs living in Siberia and northern China because the colder temperatures provided firmer bristles. They were attached to a handle manufactured from bamboo or bone, forming a toothbrush.
  • The earliest identified use of the word toothbrush in English was in the autobiography of Anthony Wood who wrote in 1690 that he had bought a toothbrush from J. Barret. Europeans found the hog bristle toothbrushes imported from China too firm and preferred softer bristle toothbrushes made from horsehair. Mass-produced toothbrushes made with horse or boar bristle continued to be imported to Britain from China until the mid 20th century.
  • In the UK, William Addis is believed to have produced the first mass-produced toothbrush in 1780. In 1770, he had been jailed for causing a riot. While in prison he decided that using a rag with soot and salt on the teeth was ineffective and could be improved. After saving a small bone from a meal, he drilled small holes into the bone and tied into the bone tufts of bristles that he had obtained from one of the guards, passed the tufts of bristle through the holes in the bone and sealed the holes with glue.
  • After his release, he became wealthy after starting a business manufacturing toothbrushes. He died in 1808, bequeathing the business to his eldest son. It remained within family ownership until 1996 under the name Wisdom Toothbrushes. The company now manufactures 70 million toothbrushes per year in the UK.
  • The first patent for a toothbrush was granted to H.N. Wadsworth in 1857 (U.S.A. Patent No. 18,653) in the United States, but mass production did not start until 1885. The improved design had a bone handle with holes bored into it for the Siberian boar hair bristles. Unfortunately, animal bristle was not an ideal material as it retained bacteria, did not dry efficiently and the bristles often fell out. In addition to bone, handles were made of wood or ivory
  • During the 1900s, celluloid gradually replaced bone handles. Natural animal bristles were also replaced by synthetic fibers, usually nylon, by DuPont in 1938. The first nylon bristle toothbrush made with nylon yarn went on sale on February 24, 1938. In the US, brushing teeth did not become routine until after World War II, when American soldiers had to clean their teeth daily.
  • The first electric toothbrush, the Broxodent, was invented in Switzerland in 1954.
  • Johnson & Johnson introduced the “Reach” toothbrush in 1977. It differed from previous toothbrushes in three ways: it had an angled head, similar to dental instruments, to reach back teeth; the bristles were concentrated more closely than usual to clean each tooth of potentially cariogenic (cavity-causing) materials; and the outer bristles were longer and softer than the inner bristles. Other manufacturers soon followed with other designs aimed at improving effectiveness.
  • Inventors of course came up with other ideas – six sided toothbrush, retractable toothbrushes and a musical toothbrush – a type of manual or powered toothbrush designed to make tooth brushing habit more interesting. The music starts while child starts brushing, it continuously plays during the brushing and it ends when the child stops brushing.
  • About 4.7 billion toothbrushes are produced each year, with about 1 billion ending up as waste.

World’s largest toothbrush

World’s smallest toothbrush

 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Look up!

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The Chinese balloon shoot down last week got me to thinkin’…

As the news continues to come in about the recent airborne discovery, I must say I was quite surprised to hear about the “spy” balloon left drifting across the US. Seems like we hear more and more as the investigation goes forward. Now, I’m sure our armed forces were on top of things, but it did pique my curiosity and cause me to think about such an old technology in today’s high tech satellite systems.  Who’s behind this? What are they trying to learn? What about other balloons being allowed to randomly float around the globe?  And more. It also got me to think about old fashioned ballooning, so I went online and dug out some cool facts. I enjoyed learning more about balloons since I will never, ever, ever go up in one! Special thanks to www.nationalballoonmuseum.com and Wikipedia for the info, and YouTube for the video.  Enjoy!

A great balloon song: LISTEN

Learn to make your own HERE

  • On November 21, 1783 the first free flight carrying a human occurred in Paris, France in a hot air balloon made of paper and silk made by the Montgolfier brothers. The balloon carried two men, Francois Pilatrê de Rozier and Francois Laurent, Marquis of Arlanders. the balloon’s skirt.  The balloon reached an altitude of at least 500 feet and traveled about 5½ miles before landing safely 25 minutes later. Legend says when they landed in the farming and vineyard area near Paris the pilots gave bottles of champagne to the startled farmers and peasants to calm their fears of demons appearing from the heavens, but that cannot be confirmed.
  • On December 1, 1783, just ten days after the first hot air balloon ride, the first gas balloon was launched by physicist Jacques Alexander Charles and Nicholas Louis Robert.  This flight too started in Paris, France and lasted 2½ hours covering a distance of 25 miles.  The gas used in the balloon was hydrogen, a lighter than air gas that had been developed by an Englishman, Henry Cavendish in 1776, by using a combination of sulphuric acid and iron filings.
  • Balloons were one of the first mechanisms used in air warfare. Their role was originally mainly for reconnaissance purposes.
  • Gas balloons soon became the preferred mode of air travel. . They continued to be the primary mode of air travel until the invention of the fixed wing aircraft  by the Wright brothers in America in 1903.
  • In the early days of ballooning, crossing the English Channel was considered the first step to long distance flying.  In 1785 Pilatre de Rozier, one of the men from the first balloon flight, and a man named Romain attempted to cross the channel in a balloon using an experimental system of hydrogen and hot air compartments. Unfortunately, this volatile mixture of highly flammable hydrogen with fire caused the balloon to explode thirty minutes after liftoff and both men were killed. The first successful crossing of the English Channel was later accomplished the same year by French balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American John Jeffries using a gas balloon.
  • Airships, often called blimps, began to be built in the early 1900’s.  They were inflated by hydrogen gas to keep them aloft.  Airships are cigar shaped balloons, some of which have a rigid frame to maintain their shape.  They had engines with propellers as well as flaps to control the direction and speed of flight.
  • The Van Zeppelin was the first large airship built.  It was 420 feet long and could travel 600 miles in 2 days. One of the first such ships in the U.S. was built in 1904.  These large ships became the first commercial airliners. Many were made for military uses but others had luxurious cabins for seating passengers.  By 1936 airships had become more common.  The most famous airship was the Hindenburg built in Germany in 1936.  It was 803 feet long and 135 feet wide and contained 7 million cubic feet of gas.
  • On May 6, 1937, the Hindenburg caught fire and burned in less than one minute while attempting to dock in Lakehurst, New Jersey. Of the 97 persons on board 35 were killed. Such ships had exemplary safety records until the spectacular demise of this famous ship.  (hear famous live radio announcer Herb Morrison struggle to share what he was seeing via radio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ad9tholMEM . After the crash, the use of such airships began to wane.
  • In 1960 Paul E. (Ed) Yost and 3 others formed Raven Industries in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and developed the modern hot air balloon and the propane gas burner which made sustained flight possible.  On October 22, 1960 Yost piloted the maiden flight of the new balloon on a flight lasting 25 minutes and traveling 3 miles.  The balloon was 40 feet in diameter with a volume of 30,000 cubic feet. This made modern sport hot air ballooning possible.
  • By 1963 Sport ballooning had grown enough so that the first U. S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship event was held in Kalamazoo, In 1964 the Nationals were held in Nevada where it remained for 3 years.  In 1970 the preliminaries for the Nationals were held in Indianola, Iowa with the final event at the State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa.  The National championships remained in Indianola for 18 years.
  • Beginning in 1989 the Nationals moved around to various parts of the country.  That same year the National Balloon Classic was born to take its place in Indianola.
  • Balloons using a combination of helium and hot air are now used for many long-distance flights such as the around the world flight of Steve Fossett in his balloon, “Bud Light Spirit of Freedom” on June 19, 2002.  This balloon was a hybrid hot air and gas balloon with two separate Helium gas cells and one hot air cell.  Inflated, the balloon stood 180 feet tall with a diameter of 108 feet.  Fossett launched from Northam, Western Australia in a seventh and successful attempt to be the first person to circumnavigate the globe solo in a balloon.  Fourteen days, 19 hours and 51 minutes later he landed in the eastern Australian Outback.
  • Gas balloons, such as NASA’s Ultra-Long Duration Balloon provide greatly enhanced scientific research.  Such balloons are used like satellites to study deep space and the Earth, but at a fraction of the cost of a satellite.  NASA balloons are made of a thin polyethylene material about the same thickness as an ordinary sandwich wrap.  In size they range up to 40 million cubic feet in volume and 600 feet in diameter and taller than a 60-story building.  When the experiment is complete, a radio command is sent from a ground station to separate the scientific payload from the balloon and a parachute opens and it floats back to the ground.  The balloon envelope collapses and falls to the Earth.

Another cool video:
B-Line to Space: The Scientific Balloon Story (20 min)

 

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DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))  
Have fun!!

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Record Breakers

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The King at the top where he belongs, Elvis in 1956! Harry Belafonte next. A wall of gold records. Queen’s signed gold plaque. Glenn Miller and his band. And look there! A very young Johnny Cash admiring Kowalski Heat Treating’s very first gold record for PIA (Pain In The @%$) Jobs!!!!!!! That’s his manager, Sam Philips, standing and mugging the camera.  :))))))))

With the Super Bowl this weekend, many of us with be cheering on either the Chiefs or Eagles along with our favorite players while consuming way too many pre-game snacks, like Aunt Edna’s three bean touchdown cheesy chip dip.  Unlike most fans, those of us in Cleveland won’t be  pondering why “our” team didn’t make it again while watching future hall of famers showcase their talent. Some will also debate the GOATs (greatest of all time) while watching the game.  Old timers will fight for their era quarterbacks, linebackers, and receivers, while the younger set will stare aimlessly trying to figure out who they are talking about (Johnny U, Leroy Kelly, Bart Star, Jerry Rice to name just a few). While it’s fun to debate the gridiron elites, another “greatest” milestone took place on this day back in 1942, when the first gold record was presented to Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (hey grandpa, what team did he play for…and what’s an orchestra?). In the early days, selecting a “gold” song required counting the total sales of the song in its prime. So, for my audiophiles out there, here’s a little history on the rankings and awards along with some links to just some of the GOATs. Thanks to Wikipedia and YouTube and all the artists for these hits.  Enjoy!

Some background music while you read

  • Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory.
  • The original gold and silver record awards were presented to artists by their own record companies to publicize their sales achievements. (interesting marketing trick).
  • The first gold disc was awarded by RCA Victor (under division imprint Bluebird Records) to Glenn Miller and His Orchestra in February 1942, celebrating the sale of 1.2 million copies of the single, “Chattanooga Choo Choo“. (great video!!!)
  • Other examples of a company award is the gold record awarded to Elvis Presley in 1956 for one million units sold of his single “Don’t Be Cruel”.
  • The first gold record for an LP was awarded by RCA Victor to Harry Belafonte in 1957 for the album Calypso (1956), the first album to sell over 1,000,000 copies in RCA’s reckoning.
  • The first silver disc was awarded by Regal Zonophone to George Formby in December 1937 for sales of 100,000 copies of “The Window Cleaner”.
  • At the industry level, in 1958 the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) introduced its gold record award program for records of any kind, albums or singles, which achieved one million dollars in retail sales. These sales were restricted to U.S.-based record companies and did not include exports to other countries.
  • (RIAA) was established for singles in 1958, and the RIAA also trademarked the term “gold record” in the United States. On 14 March 1958, the RIAA certified its first gold record, Perry Como’s hit single “Catch a Falling Star”. The Oklahoma! soundtrack was certified as the first gold album four months later.
  • For albums in 1968, this would mean shipping approximately 250,000 units; for singles the number would be higher due to their lower retail price.
  • The platinum certification was introduced in 1976 for the sale of one million units for albums and two million for singles, with the gold certification redefined to mean sales of 500,000 units for albums and one million for singles. The first was awarded to the Eagles compilation album Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) on 24 February 1976, and to Johnnie Taylor’s single “Disco Lady” on 22 April 1976.
  • In 1999, the diamond certification was introduced for sales of ten million units. In the late 1980s, the certification thresholds for singles were dropped to match that of albums.
  • In most countries, certifications no longer apply solely to physical media but now also include sales awards recognizing digital downloads (in the US and UK since 2004).
  • In June 2006, the RIAA also certified the ringtone downloads of songs. Streaming from on-demand services such as Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and Napster has been included into existing digital certification in the US since 2013, and the UK and Germany since 2014.
  • In the US and Germany, video streaming services like YouTube, VEVO, and Yahoo! Music also began to be counted towards the certification, in both cases using the formula of 100 streams being equivalent to one download. Other countries, such as Denmark and Spain, maintain separate awards for digital download singles and streaming.
  • The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) was founded in 1996, and grants the IFPI Platinum Europe Award for album sales over one million within Europe and (as of October 2009) the Middle East. Multi-platinum Europe Awards are presented for sales in subsequent multiples of one million. Eligibility is unaffected by time (from date of release) and is not restricted to European-based artists.
  • The Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA) was founded in April 2000 to grow the independent music sector and promote independent music in the interests of artistic, entrepreneurial and cultural diversity. IMPALA launched sales awards in 2005 as the first sales awards recognizing that success on a pan-European basis begins well before sales reach one million. The award levels are Silver (20,000+), Double Silver (40,000+), Gold (75,000+), Double Gold (150,000+), Diamond (200,000+), Platinum (400,000+) and Double Platinum (800,000+).
  • The plaques themselves contain various items under the glass. Modern awards often use CDs instead of records. Most gold and platinum records are actually vinyl records which have been vacuum metallized and tinted, while trimmed and plated metal “masters”, “mothers”, or “stampers” (metal parts used for pressing records out of vinyl) were initially used. The music in the grooves on the record may not match the actual recording being awarded. 
  • Individual plaque-makers produced their awards according to available materials and techniques employed by their graphic arts departments. The plaques, depending on size and elaborateness of design, cost anywhere between US$135 and $275, most often ordered and purchased by the record label that issued the original recording.
  • Elvis is the record holder of the most gold records.  (dad – who’s Elvis?)
  • Fastest song to go gold – just under two weeks – K.O released his latest single“Sete” featuring Blxckie and Young Stunna, The lead single from the veteran rapper’s upcoming fourth album “SR3” (Skhanda Republic 3), has achieved gold certification status (over 1.2 million streams) in record time.
  • Like many awards and recognitions these days, the industry has sort of outgrown the honor and prestige of hitting a milestone such as gold. But that’s ok – we’ll let it go by the wayside of buying and playing our vinyl records.  Check out Billboards “GOAT”.

15 Million (or more) Hard Copies Sold

1942    Bing Crosby — “White Christmas”

1997    Elton John — “Something About the Way You Look Tonight”/”Candle in the Wind

1946    Tino Rossi —  “Petit Papa Noël”

1970    Mungo Jerry — “In the Summertime”

1954    Bill Haley & His Comets —  “Rock Around the Clock”

1992    Whitney Houston —  “I Will Always Love You”

1960    Elvis Presley —  “It’s Now or Never”

1985    USA for Africa —  “We Are the World”

1939     The Ink Spots — “If I Didn’t Care”

1977    Baccara —  “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie”

1997    Celine Dion — “My Heart Will Go On”

1994    Mariah Carey — “All I Want for Christmas Is You”

1991    Bryan Adams — “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”

1978    John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John — “You’re the One That I Want”

 

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DO YOU LIKE CONTESTS?
Me, too.
As you may know the Kowalski Heat Treating logo finds its way
into the visuals of my Friday posts.
I.  Love.  My.  Logo.
One week there could be three logos.
The next week there could be 15 logos.
And sometimes the logo is very small or just a partial logo showing.
But there are always logos in some of the pictures.
So, I challenge you, my beloved readers, to count them and send me a
quick email with the total number of logos in the Friday post.
On the following Tuesday I’ll pick a winner from the correct answers
and send that lucky person some great KHT swag.
So, start counting and good luck!  
Oh, and the logos at the very top header don’t count.
Got it? Good.  :-))))
Have fun!!

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