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September 01, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #30
Quarter-life crisis The quarterlife crisis (QLC) is a term applied to the period of life immediately following the major changes of adolescence, usually ranging from the early twenties to the early thirties. The term is named by analogy with mid-life crisis. It is now recognised by many therapists and professionals in the mental health field. Characteristics of quarter-life crisis may include: feeling "not good enough" because one can't find a job that is at one's academic/intellectual level frustration with relationships, the working world, and finding a suitable job or career confusion of identity insecurity regarding the near future insecurity concerning long-term plans, life goals insecurity regarding present accomplishments re-evaluation of close interpersonal relationships disappointment with one's job nostalgia for university, college, high school or elementary school life tendency to hold stronger opinions boredom with social interactions loss of closeness to high school and college friends financially-rooted stress (overwhelming college loans, unanticipatedly high cost of living, etc.) loneliness desire to have children a sense that everyone is, somehow, doing better than you These emotions and insecurities are not uncommon at this age, nor at any age in adult life. In the context of the quarter-life crisis, however, they occur shortly after a young person - usually an educated professional, in this context - enters the "real world". After entering adult life and coming to terms with its responsibilities, some individuals find themselves experiencing career stagnation or extreme insecurity. The individual often realizes the real world is tougher, more competitive and less forgiving than they imagined. Furthermore, the qualifications they have spent so much time and money earning are not likely to prepare them for this disillusionment. A related problem is simply that many college graduates do not achieve a desirable standard of living after graduation. They often end up living in low-income apartments with roommates instead of having an income high enough to support themselves. High underemployment for college graduates contributed to this problem[citation needed]; spiraling house prices are exacerbating it. Substandard living conditions, combined with menial or repetitive work at their jobs create a great amount of frustration, anxiety and anger. Nobody wants to admit to feeling like a 'loser'; this secrecy may intensify the problem. As the emotional ups-and-downs of adolescence and college life subside, many affected by quarter-life crisis experience a "graying" of emotion. While emotional interactions may be intense in a high school or college environment - where everyone is roughly the same age and hormones are highly active - these interactions become subtler and more private in adult life. Furthermore, a factor contributing to quarter-life crisis may be the difficulty in adapting to a workplace environment. In college, professors' expectations are clearly given and students receive frequent feedback on their performance in their courses. One progresses from year to year in the education system. In contrast, within a workplace environment, one may be, for some time, completely unaware of a boss's displeasure with one's performance, or of one's colleagues' dislike of one's personality. One does not automatically make progress. Office politics require interpersonal skills that are largely unnecessary for success in an educational setting. Emerging adults eventually learn these social skills, but this process - sometimes compared to learning another language - is often highly stressful. In The Cheating Culture, David Callahan illustrates that ills of excessive competition and insecurity do not always end once one becomes established - by being awarded tenure or "partner" status - and therefore the "quarter-life crisis" may actually extend beyond young adulthood. Some measure of financial security - which usually requires occupational security - is necessary for psychological development. Some have theorized that insecurity in the "New Economy" will place many in a state of, effectively, perpetual adolescence, and that the rampant and competitive consumerism of the 1990s and 2000s indicates that this is already taking place. August 14, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #29
Canada at the Summer Olympics
1896 Athens did not compete Total 55 85 102 242
August 06, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #28
I'm quitting all diet sodas after finally acknowledging the Reagan-era backdoor shenanigans that brought to it my hands (daily) in the first place. Aspartame controversy The artificial sweetener aspartame has been the subject of public controversy regarding its safety and the circumstances around its approval. Many studies have recommended further investigation into the possible connection between aspartame and diseases such as brain tumors, brain lesions, and lymphoma. These findings, combined with alleged conflicts of interest in the approval process, have engendered vocal activism regarding the possible risks of aspartame. In 1995, FDA Epidemiology Branch Chief Thomas Wilcox reported that aspartame complaints represented 75% of all reports of adverse reactions to substances in the food supply from 1981 to 1995. Concerns about aspartame frequently revolve around symptoms and health conditions that are allegedly caused by the sweetener. A total of 92 different symptoms and health conditions were reported by physicians and consumers. Questions have been asked about brain cancer, lymphoma, and genotoxic effects such as DNA-protein crosslinks, but these questions are primarily not based on reported case histories. The sources for reported symptoms and health conditions that have raised questions include: Reports and analysis of case histories in scientific journals and at medical conferences
Some critics of Aspartame use have expressed concerns about its approval. Specifically, they note that the head of the FDA, Jere E. Goyan, was removed from his post on the first day of Ronald Reagan's presidency (1981). Goyan had refused to approve the use of aspartame due to studies documenting increase of cancers in rats. Reagan appointed Arthur Hull Hayes, MD as FDA Commissioner in April 1981. In the same year Hayes approved aspartame as a food additive against an FDA Public Board of Inquiry recommendation. It is notable however that Hayes had available results from a new Japanese study which the PBOI chairman later claimed would have reversed his recommendation. In November 1983 Hayes quit and joined Searle's public-relations firm Burson-Marsteller as senior medical advisor. Conflict of interest In Survey of Aspartame studies: correlation of outcome and funding sources, Ralph G. Walton, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM) [90], surveyed 166 studies of aspartame in peer reviewed medical literature. According to Walton's review, 74 studies had Nutrasweet industry related funding and 92 were independently funded. 100% of the industry funded research attested to aspartame's safety, whereas 92% (85 of 92) of the independently funded research identified a problem. In a rebuttal to Walton's review, the 'Aspartame Information Service' (a service provided by Ajinomoto, a producer of aspartame and supplier to well known food and drink makers) states that of the 85 studies: 10 studies actually involve aspartate and not aspartame and are irrelevant to aspartame safety. Much more after jump... » Continue reading "Random Wikipedia Fact #28"July 16, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #27
Canada and the 2008 United States presidential election July 05, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #26
Sunday In Alabama, Dominoes may not be played on Sunday. June 24, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #25
Fete nationale du Quebec The Fete nationale des Canadiens Francais (English: Canada's French Canadian National Holiday) is an official holiday of the Canadian province of Quebec. The festivities occur on June 23 and June 24, and are organized by the Comite organisateur de la fete nationale (national holiday organizing committee). Originally, June 24 was a holiday honouring one of the patron saint of French Canadians, St. John the Baptist, and in ordinary conversation the day is still often called la Saint-Jean by Quebecers. Although the holiday has official status only in Quebec, it is also celebrated by some francophones in other Canadian provinces and in the United States as a festival of French Canadian culture. In these contexts, it is more often called Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. In 1925, June 24 became a legal holiday in Quebec. After the Quiet Revolution, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day became very political. The religious symbolism associated with the celebrations was rejected by the younger generations. During this period, Governor General Georges Vanier, who, as viceroy, always fostered unity and biculturalism, found himself the target of Quebec sovereigntists in Montreal, on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, 1964, wherein a group of separatists held placards reading "Vanier vendu" ("Vanier sold") and "Vanier fou de la Reine" ("Vanier, jester to the Queen"). Four years later, with the new Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in attendance on the eve of a general election, a riot broke out on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, and 290 people were arrested. Trudeau was filmed refusing to take cover or leave the grandstand when the rioters pelted it with rocks, as well as bottles containing paint and acid. The scene was broadcast on Radio-Canada's and CBC's evening news. Many saw it as an open act of courage, and it impressed the electorate. The incident contributed to his Liberal Party winning a significant majority the next day. In 1969, the little St. John the Baptist icon was destroyed during a riot. This led to the interruption of the parade, which did not take place the next year. June 16, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #24
Global city In line with recent interest I've expressed on this blog, an afternoon of tylenol-flu-induced-in-bed-wikipedia-ing led me to the page of Global City, a term Saskia Sassen coined in reference to London, New York and Tokyo in her 1991 work The Global City. Anyway, this may be totally uninteresting, but Ive posted excerpts from the wikipedia entry, which categorizes cities based on certain criteria. A bit now, more after the jump: A global city (also called world city) is a city deemed to be an important node point in the global economic system. The concept comes from geography and urban studies and rests on the idea that globalisation can be understood as largely created, facilitated and enacted in strategic geographic locales according to a hierarchy of importance to the operation of the global system of finance and trade. The most complex of these entities is the "global city," whereby the linkages binding a city have a direct and tangible effect on global affairs through socio-economic means. The terminology of "global city", as opposed to megacity, is thought to have been first coined by Saskia Sassen in reference to London, New York and Tokyo in her 1991 work The Global City.' » Continue reading "Random Wikipedia Fact #24"June 10, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #23
Someone I know actually "believes" in this, and this recent revelation led me to a few hours of looking into it... Crazy, yes, but interesting, especially the last few paragraphs posted here. Reptilian humanoid
In a thought experiment published in 1982, paleontologist Dale Russell, curator of vertebrate fossils at the National Museum of Canada in Ottawa, conjectured that, had the Chicxulub meteorite not exterminated the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, bipedal predators (theropods) which existed at that time, such as Troodon, would have evolved into intelligent beings similar in body plan to humans. Troodontids had semi-manipulative fingers, able to grasp and hold objects to a certain degree, and binocular vision. Like most dinosaurs of the troodontid family, this imaginary creature, which Russell called the "Dinosauroid", would have had large eyes and three fingers on each hand, one of which would have been partially opposed. As with most modern reptiles (and birds), its genitalia would have been internal. Russell speculated that it would have required a navel, as a placenta aids the development of a large brain case, however it would not have possessed mammary glands, and would have fed its young, as birds do, on regurgitated food. Its language would have sounded somewhat like bird song. Russell's fanciful speculation has been met with criticism from other paleontologists since the 1980s, many of whom point out that Russell's Dinosauroid is overly anthropomorphic. Gregory S. Paul (1988) and Thomas R. Holtz Jr., consider it "suspiciously human" and argue that a large-brained, highly intelligent troodontid would retain a more standard theropod body plan, with a horizontal posture and long tail, and would probably manipulate objects with the snout and feet in the manner of a bird, rather than with human-like "hands". Darren Naish (2006) pointed to the ground hornbill as a better model for an intelligent dinosaur. The artist Nemo Ramjet has used these new approaches to the original thought experiment to re-interpret the Dinosauroid, going so far as to create "Dinosauroid cave art", which depicts sentient, tool-using troodontids and other dinosaurs and pterosaurs, painted using sticks and feathers. According to David Icke, reptilian humanoids are the force behind a worldwide conspiracy directed at manipulation and control of humanity. He contends that most of the world's leaders, from Bill Clinton, Hillary Rodham Clinton and George W. Bush to members of the British Royal Family, are in fact related to the 7-foot (2.1 m) tall, blood-drinking, reptilians from the star system Alpha Draconis. According to an interview with David Icke, Christine Fitzgerald claims that she was a confidante of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and that Diana told her that the Royal Family were reptilian aliens, and that they could shapeshift. Icke claims, based on his exploration of genealogical connections to European royalty, that many presidents of the United States have been and are reptilian humanoids. In his view, United States foreign policy after September 11 is the product of a reptilian conspiracy to enslave humanity, with George W. Bush as a servant of the reptilians. He also theorizes that the reptilians came to Earth from the constellation Draco, as opposed to John Rhodes, of the Reptoids Research Center, who reports that the majority of reptilians appear to be of Earth origin and that they may have outposts in various planetary systems and/or dimensions. May 27, 2008
Random Wikipedia Facts #21 and #22
This, well, random, selection comes in light of a Saturday night discussion in which one of my friends told us that Rose McGowan was born into the "Children of God" religion and no one else had heard this. I didn't know much about the religion to begin with, and what I have posted here is just the tip of a seriously fucked up iceberg.
April 23, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #20
Adirondack (Amtrak) The Adirondack is a passenger train operated daily by Amtrak between New York City and Montreal, Quebec. The trip takes approximately 11 hours to cover a published distance of 381 miles (613 km), travelling through the scenic Hudson Valley and the Adirondack Mountains. As of June 2006, the price of a one way ticket between New York City and Montreal is USD $59, which makes it the cheapest - and longest - travel option between the two cities. The scheduled time is 11 hours, compared with 6.5 hours by car. April 14, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #19
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta's skyline is punctuated with highrise and midrise buildings of modern and postmodern vintage. Its tallest landmark - the Bank of America Plaza - is the 29th-tallest building in the world at 1,023 feet (312 m). It is also the tallest building in the United States outside of Chicago and New York City. Atlanta has a reputation as being one of the most dangerous cities for pedestrians, as far back as 1949 when the Gone with the Wind author Margaret Mitchell was struck by a speeding car and killed while crossing Peachtree Street. In spite of civic efforts such as the opening of Centennial Olympic Park in downtown in 1996, Atlanta ranks near last in area of park land per capita among cities of similar population density, with 8.9 acres per thousand residents (36 m/resident) in 2005. Famous rappers that hail from Atlanta include Soulja Boy, T.I., Dem Franchise Boyz,Usher Raymond, Young Jeezy, Lil Jon, The Ying Yang Twins, Jermaine Dupree, Yung Joc, Cee-lo Green and Ludacris. The city has the third highest percentage (12.8%) of gay, lesbian, and bisexual couples among the fifty largest cities in the United States. Atlanta is also home to the fastest growing millionaire population in the United States. The number of households in Atlanta with $1 million or more in investable assets, not including primary residence and consumable goods, will increase 69% through 2011, to approximately 103,000 households. 24.4% of the population and 21.3% of families were below the poverty line, including 38.8% of those under the age of 18 and 20.7% of those 65 and older. Atlanta's police department has been investigated for allegations of police brutality, most notably for the 2006 shooting of an 89 year-old woman in her home by narcotics squad officers. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world's busiest airport as measured by passenger traffic and by aircraft traffic. April 01, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #18
April Fools' Day Long and often incredible list of well known pranks after the jump, as well as a list of real news that happened on April Fool's Day that didn't go over so well. » Continue reading "Random Wikipedia Fact #18"March 29, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #17
Hangover
Hypoglycemia, dehydration, Acetaldehyde intoxication, and vitamin B12 deficiency are all theorized causes of hangover symptoms. Hangovers usually last 1 to 4 hours, but may last up to two or three days after alcohol was last consumed. There is debate about whether a hangover might be prevented or at least mitigated. There is currently no known proven mechanism for making oneself sober short of waiting for the body to metabolize ingested alcohol, which occurs via oxidation through the liver before alcohol leaves the body. A four page literature review in British Medical Journal on hangover cures by Max Pittler of the Peninsula Medical School at Exeter University and colleagues concludes: "No compelling evidence exists to suggest that any conventional or complementary intervention is effective for preventing or treating alcohol hangover. The most effective way to avoid the symptoms of alcohol induced hangover is to practice moderation." The term hangover was originally a 19th century expression describing unfinished business--something left over from a meeting--or 'survival.' In 1904, the meaning "after-effect of drinking too much" first surfaced. March 21, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #16
For those wondering why its not two or three weeks from now... Calculating the Date of Good Friday
March 16, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #15
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the LDS Church or the Mormon Church, is the largest and most well-known denomination originating from the Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has established congregations and temples worldwide, reporting approximately 13 million members on its rolls. The LDS Church is the largest of the denominations from the Latter Day Saint movement that claim to be a continuation of the Church of Christ, founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. on April 6, 1830 in New York. Joseph Smith organized the church soon after publishing the Book of Mormon, one of the faith's scriptures, which Joseph Smith said he translated from a book of golden plates that were buried near his home in a place shown to him by the angel Moroni. The church rapidly gained a following, who viewed Joseph Smith as their prophet. In late 1830, Smith envisioned a "city of Zion" in Native American lands near Independence, Missouri. In October 1830, he sent his second-in-command, Oliver Cowdery, and others on a mission to the area. The earth, according to church teachings in the temples, was created by Jehovah, which the church identifies as the pre-mortal Jesus, and Michael the archangel, who is identified as the pre-mortal Adam. The earth was "organized" from pre-existing matter, as were other planets with their inhabitants. Michael's spirit was implanted in a body created by God the Father and Jehovah, and became Adam. Members are expected to donate their time, money, and talents to the church, and those who have participated in the Endowment ceremony make an oath to donate all that they have, if required of them, to the Lord. To be in good standing and to enter the church's temples, church members are required to tithe their income to the church, which is usually interpreted as 10% of income. In addition, members are expected to donate monthly charitable "fast offerings" (at least the equivalent cost of two meals), which are used to help the needy, regardless of whether or not they are church members, and are encouraged to make other humanitarian donations when necessary.
February 29, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #14
February 29 The concepts of the leap year and leap day are distinct from the leap second, which results from changes in the Earth's rotational speed. The leap day was introduced as part of the Julian reform. The day following the Terminalia (23 February) was doubled, forming the so-called "bis sextum". The first day of the bis sextum (February 24) came to be regarded as the intercalated or "bissextile" day. February 29 came to be regarded as the leap day when the Roman system of numbering days was replaced by sequential numbering in the late Middle Ages. There is a tradition that women may make a proposal of marriage to men only in leap years, further restricted in some cases to only February 29. There is a tradition that in 1288 the Scottish parliament under Queen Margaret legislated that any woman could propose in Leap Year; few parliament records of that time exist, and none concern February 29. Another component of this tradition was that if the man rejects the proposal, he should soften the blow by providing a kiss, one pound currency, and a pair of gloves (some later sources say a silk gown). There were similar notions in France and Switzerland. A person who was born on February 29 may be called a "leapling". In non-leap years they may celebrate their birthday on 28 February or 1 March. Leaplings include: 1468 - Pope Paul III (d. 1549) And on a personal note, this day brings a bit of fear to my mildly superstitious mind. In nearly every leap year since the year I was born, something horrific has happened to myself or a member of my close family. And I seriously mean horrific: cancer; a stroke; a near-death bout of meningitis resulting in a deaf ear; a tractor explosion resulting in 85% 3rd degree burns and six months of hospitalization; a rather eventful divorce; an emergency circumcision; and a family viewing of "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot". I know it sounds extremely dramatic (and perhaps a bit too telling), but I'm not making this shit up. 2008 is so far so good, but I will live in fear each day until 2009. February 19, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #13
Andrew Sullivan His political blogs are among the most widely read on the Web. Sullivan is considered and credited by many as a pioneer in political weblog journalism, as he is one of very few prominent political journalists in the United States who started his own personal blog, a grass roots online publication in the early days of blog technology. After producing his blog for a year at Time Magazine, on 1 February 2007 Sullivan moved to the Atlantic Monthly, where his blog received approximately 40 million page views in the first year. Sullivan is known for his unusual personal-political identity (HIV-positive, gay, self-described conservative often at odds with other conservatives, practicing Roman Catholic, and a non-U.S. citizen who focuses on American political life). He has said that he would like to become a US citizen but is barred because of his HIV-positive status. His political philosophy includes a broad range of traditional conservative positions: He favors a flat tax, limited government, privatization of social security, and a strong military, and he opposes welfare state programs such as socialized medicine. A self-identified member of the gay "bear community," in 2003 Sullivan wrote a whimsical and oft-cited Salon essay on the subject. In 2006 Sullivan expressed interest (at the suggestion of a reader) in creating a new "award" honoring Nancy Grace. The Nancy Grace Award would be bestowed on those evincing "lack of grace and empathy," a "misplaced self-regard," "unflappable self-assurance that [the nominee's] outrage represents the true moral high ground on any issue," and a "nauseating level of absolutist self-righteousness on the part of the Nominee." Kaus suggested that this description perfectly fit Sullivan himself; Sullivan hasn't mentioned the Grace Award since. In May 2001, Village Voice columnist Michael Musto said that Sullivan had anonymously posted advertisements for bareback sex (anal sex without a condom) on America Online and the now-defunct website barebackcity.com. Subsequently, the American journalist and activist Michelangelo Signorile wrote about the scandal in a front-page article in the New York gay magazine LGNY, igniting a storm of controversy. Later, in a defiant blog post titled Sexual McCarthyism: An article no-one should have to write, Sullivan confirmed the allegations while arguing that the matters covered by the controversy were private and should not have been put into the public domain by his critics. February 14, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #12
Valentine's Day Using the language of the law courts for the rituals of courtly love, a "High Court of Love" was established in Paris on Valentine's Day in 1400. The court dealt with love contracts, betrayals, and violence against women. Judges were selected by women on the basis of a poetry reading. The earliest surviving valentine is a fifteenth-century rondeau written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his "valentined" wife, which commences: Je suis desja d'amour tanne At the time, the duke was being held in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt, 1415. In the United States, the first mass-produced valentines of embossed paper lace were produced and sold shortly after 1847 by Esther Howland (1828-1904) of Worcester, Massachusetts. Her father operated a large book and stationery store, but Howard took her inspiration from an English valentine she had received, so clearly the practice of sending Valentine's cards had existed in England before it became popular in North America. The English practice of sending Valentine's cards appears in Elizabeth Gaskell's Mr. Harrison's Confessions (published 1851). Since 2001, the Greeting Card Association has been giving an annual "Esther Howland Award for a Greeting Card Visionary." The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines. In Saudi Arabia in 2008, religious police banned the sale of all Valentine's Day items, telling shop workers to remove any red items, as the day is considered an un-Islamic holiday. This ban created a black market of roses and wrapping paper, according to a BBC News article.
February 07, 2008
Happy Chinese New Year
In honor of the rat, the first animal in the cycle and the animal of my birth year (hows that for new beginnings?), I offer a celebratory clip: As well, as "Random Wikipedia Fact #11," which isn't as optimistic as I'd hoped: Rat (zodiac) The Rat (Chinese) was welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity. It is the first of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. Rat is associated with aggression, wealth, charm, and order, yet also associated with death, war, the occult, pestilence, and atrocities. February 04, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #10
Facebook (Approximate numbers as of January 2008) Active users: Over 60 million Um.. The technical population of Toronto is around 2.5 million (though I'd imagine many Greater Toronto Areas save themselves the embarrassment of being in the "Mississauga" network and just put Toronto).. so thats like 40% of Toronto. And the fact that Canada ranks 2nd despite a population that is less than California is very interesting... February 01, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #9
List of Scientologists (After the jump.. its a long list... of people who might be expecting packages in the mail) » Continue reading "Random Wikipedia Fact #9"January 18, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #8
Utah
About 80 percent of Utah's Legislature are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while they account for 61 percent of the population. According to a study based on prescription claims from one mail-order pharmaceutical provider, Utah (as of 2000) ranked first in antidepressant and narcotic painkiller use, and was in the top three for prescriptions for thyroid medications, anticonvulsants and anti-rheumatics. While Utah once ranked first in personal bankruptcies per capita in the US, this is no longer true (as of 2005). It ranks 47th in teenage pregnancy, last in percentage of births out of wedlock, last in number of abortions per capita, and last in percentage of teen pregnancies terminated in abortion. Statistics relating to pregnancies and abortions may be artificially low from teenagers going out of state for abortions because of parental notification requirements. Utah has the lowest child poverty rate in the country, despite its young demographics. Jell-O is the official snack food of Utah, giving rise to the term the Jell-O Belt.
January 15, 2008
Off I Go + Random Wikipedia Facts 5-7
I am an hour away from heading to the Toronto airport to catch a flight to Utah for Sundance. Unfortunately, I woke up feeling like death and gallons of oregano oil, "Germ, M.D.", smoothies, etc doesn't seem to be helping. Which will nicely combine my two worst fears: illness and flying (which includes both the actual act of flying and the security that comes before it - I have this way of looking like a criminal whenever I go through airport security). The latter fear hasn't been helped by yesterday's Toronto Star frontpage headline: "Airport security a 'con game'," which has an accompanying article that suggests that there are `gaping security holes' behind the scenes (read the full article here). So that article plus the anxiety induced by my illness led me to desperate wikipedia-ing to calm my nerves. And thus the following are Random Wikipedia Facts 5, 6 and 7. See you in Sundance.
According to the United States Department of Transportation Bureau of Statistics, Salt Lake City International ranked number one among U.S. airports in on-time departures and arrivals in 2006 and through July 2007. Salt Lake City International also had the fewest flight cancellations among U.S. airports. JD Power and Associates has ranked the Salt Lake International Airport among one of the top mid-sized U.S. airports for customer satisfaction.
Last reported fatal crash:
Accidents and incidents involving aircraft arriving and departing the airport: 1983: Air Canada Flight 797, on a Dallas-Toronto-Montreal route, had an in-flight fire and landed in Cincinnati; half of the occupants died. 1985: A bomb was loaded onto Air India Flight 181, which departed from Toronto and arrived at Montreal. Air India Flight 182, using the same aircraft and carrying passengers who were on 181, was scheduled to fly Montreal-London-Delhi-Mumbai route. The aircraft exploded over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all of the passengers and crew. 2008: Air Canada Flight 190, flying from Victoria to Toronto experienced severe turbulance over the Rocky Mountains and was forced to make an emergency landing in Calgary, injuring up to 10 passengers. January 10, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #4
Stephen Colbert
When he was younger, he had hoped to study marine biology, but surgery intended to repair a severely perforated eardrum caused him inner ear damage. The damage was severe enough that he was unable to pursue a career that would involve scuba diving. The damage also left him deaf in his right ear. (just like this blogger) January 05, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #3
HIV
Exposure | Estimated infections per 10,000 exposures to an infected source Blood Transfusion 9,000 Not that I am at all endorsing any sort of risky behavior by any means whatsoever, at all, in any way - but when I found this out a year or so ago I found it quite surprising. Going by these statistics, there is a .05% chance of becoming infected with HIV if a man has unprotected sex with an infected woman, a 0.5% chance if a man is the reciever of unprotected sex by an infected man (the highest of all sexual acts), and a 0.67% chance if you share a needle with an infected person. Mind you, this is per exposure, meaning everytime you do it again the chances double. And when a life-altering and impossibly challenging condition is at stake, you don't want to be playing any odds. But I think before I found this out I suspected those numbers would be more like 50%, at least for the latter two. January 03, 2008
Random Wikipedia Fact #2
Hamburg, Germany An international trade city, Hamburg is the commercial and cultural centre of Northern Germany. Its citizens are known as "Hamburgers". December 28, 2007
Random Wikipedia Fact #1
I'm hoping to add one of my favourite pasttimes - endlessly browsing wikipedia to procure a mass amount of useless knowledge - into this blog as an ongoing series. Here's the first one, which is certainly not some staggering find, but I found it after watching Jesus is Magic over Christmas and thought it was noteworthy: Sarah Silverman Silverman is very open about her lifelong battle with clinical depression, crediting her current emotional health to her use of prescription drug Zoloft. Silverman has said that she does not consume alcohol, because it nauseates her. Silverman says she does not want to get married until same-sex couples are able to. She also says she doesn't want to have biological children to avoid the chance that they might inherit her depression. She enjoys playing Internet Scrabble; one of her regular opponents is Alyssa Milano, who lives in the same building. | |
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