Monday, June 09, 2014

Footbaths; Smart Fish; Death File; Ears; Pompeii; Love Languages; Guns; Weapons; Debris

Another sunny day with occasional  quick showers designed to water our plants.


Today, I want to discuss some old Blog stuff that I  have been saving up.


1.  Moslim footbaths:


Bathrooms have been recently remodeled at Boston University, my old school.  They were given a fresh coat of paint and the addition of footbaths.  Muslims have been studying at BU for several years and to help them more easily prepare for prayer, the footbaths have now been provided, even though the students did not ask for them.


Muslims pray five times a day, and they are required to perform ablution.. the washing of hands, face and feet before prayer.  The students had been using the regular high sinks, and the footbaths will be a big help to them.


2.  Fish brains


Peter Buston of Boston University has been studying fish intelligence and finds that the finny creatures are smarter than we give them credit for.   For instance:   When striped bass have been snared on a fisherman's line, they sometimes wrap the line around a rock so that it breaks as the angler tries to reel the fish in.  Also squid and octopi have been taught to open jars!  Peter also says that fish have personalities.  (We've always known that whales had personalities, but not fish.) What about crabs and lobsters?


3.  Death File


The Social Security Admiistration, as the result of a law suit, is required to allow usage of its "Death File".  This is a databank that contains information about a person who has died and there are no benefits remaining on that persons account.   Many years ago, this information was kept in locked rooms at each of 7 Payment Centers.. I know, because I was given the task of getting this information on tape.  One of my workers figured out how to glean information out of the hundreds of thousands of IBM cards with punches.  Some of these cards had those infamous "hanging chads" that you may have heard of.


Anyway, once all of that information was on tape data files, it was tempting to genealogists.  I've used it on many occasions, even though I fought to try to preserve its privacy.  The Court's argument, I believe, was:  These people are all dead, with no immediate relatives to complain.


Harper's Index from February 2012, indicated that 14,000 people are erroneously included on the file each  year.     I don't think so.  What the figure may indicate is the number of people who had an application for Social Security Benefits filed after they learned their relative had died, and wanted to see if they were eligible.  While the case was being adjudicated, the record would be removed from the database.. and reinstated if the applicant did not receive a good outcome.


4.  Religious Joke (From James Hoskins, RD)


Joe attends a revival meeting, seeking help.  "I need you to pray for my hearing," he tells the preacher.
The preacher puts his fingers on Joe's ears and prays and prays and prays.
When he's finished, he asks Joe: "How's your hearing now?"
"I don't know," says Joe.  I don't go to court until next Friday."


5. Pompeii Trash


Science Daily reports that in ancient Pompeii, cemeteries were located on main roads and trash was piled high everywhere, even inside residences.  Burial places looked like dumps.


6.  Love Languages


Jill Murphy of Manchester, Maryland reviewed the book The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman.  Chapman says there are five love languages:


physical touch,
quality time,
acts of service,
gifts,
words of affirmation


When you are speaking the same love language as your partner, life is good.  However, when your love language is not communicated with, life is not good.


For instance, when your quality time is to sit quietly and read, and your partner's is to bounce around to loud rock music, there are troubled times ahead.


7.  Wise words


"Give a person a gun, and they can rob a bank.  Give a person a bank and they can rob the world"  Phil's Phunny Phacts


8.  More Harper's Index Items to  Think About


Five U. S. colleges give courses in unmanned-drone operation.


A total of 11,448 weapons were confiscated from visitors to the Statue of Liberty in 2011.


An estimated 5 million tons of debris from Japanese earthquakes reached the U.S. shore in 2013.


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