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Napkin

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How would you politely wipe your face without a napkin?

  • Napkins are pieces of material used to politely remove food from one’s face and hands.
  • ‘Napkins’ are also known as ‘face towels’ and ‘serviettes’, and are most commonly manufactured white, as the colour symbolises cleanliness and gives a fresh feel.
  • Napkins are typically made from fabric, that can be washed and reused; or paper, that are usually disposed of after use.
  • Napkins are often square or rectangular in shape; often patterned in design; and are commonly folded for aesthetic purposes.
  • ‘Napkin’ derives from the word ‘nape’, the Old French word for a tablecloth or towel, that originally comes from the Latin word for map, ‘mappa’, and ‘kin’ is the word for ‘little’ in Middle English.

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  • For table settings, napkins are generally placed to the left of the fork on the table; in the middle of a plate; wrapped around cutlery; grouped together in a specially designed holder; or placed in a ring usually to the left of the fork.
  • Early napkins are believed to have originated as slices of a type of bread, used by those from ancient Greece; ancient Chinese used paper; while ancient Romans are said to have used cloth, that eventually became popular by the 1500s.
  • Napkins normally range in sizes of 13 by 13 centimetres (5 by 5 inches), up to 51 by 56 centimetres (20 by 22 inches).
  • Napkins come in a variety of colours and patterns, can be customised with text and imagery, and are not always strictly a rectangular or square shape.
  • Napkins are often folded into triangles, but also many other shapes, often utilising origami methods to create flowers. cranes and other designs, and paper ones are often purchased already folded in quarters.
Bibliography:
Napkin, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napkin
Napkins, 2014, Napkin Folding Styles, http://www.napkinfoldingstyles.com/napkins/

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Woolly Mammoth

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Woolly Mammoth

There is a lot of information about the extinct woolly mammoth.

  • Woolly mammoths are large, extinct mammals from prehistoric northern Europe, Asia and America, that are said to be relatives of Asian Elephants.
  • Woolly mammoths have the scientific name of Mammuthus primigenius and are one of ten species of mammoth from the family Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths.
  • Woolly mammoths reached 1.8 to 4 metres (6 to 13 feet) in height and weighed up to 4 to 8 tonnes (4.4 to 8.8 tons); had dark hair coats coloured mostly black or brown; as well as small ears and short tails that reduced the chance of frostbite.
  • Woolly mammoths boast some of the most collected data of all prehistoric animals, due to extensive skeletons, preserved bodies, fossils and cave depictions.
  • Woolly mammoths had two long, sloped tusks that grew to be 1.5 to 4.2 metres (5 to 14 feet) in length, and three quarters were generally visible, while the tusks were probably used for defense and species fighting in the form of hitting.
Woolly Mammoth Royal BC Museum, Victoria, British Columbia, Fake, Replication, Musuem, Ten Random Facts, Flickr, MammalReplica of a Woolly Mammoth
Image courtesy of Rob Pongsajapan/Flickr
  • Woolly mammoths lived in large herds similar to today’s elephants, while weak and young mammoths were preyed on by pack dog species and large animals from the cat family, and the typical life span ranged from 25 to 80 years.
  • The diet of woolly mammoths probably consisted of vegetation including shrubs, trees, fruit, moss, nuts and smaller plants.
  • Woolly mammoths are often depicted in ancient cave paintings, while the bones were used by people to create human shelters and the tusks made into weapons and tools.
  • Woolly mammoths probably became extinct due to hunting and habitat changes, and the last mammoths probably lived isolated in the Arctic Ocean on Wrangel Island.
  • Some frozen woolly mammoths contain DNA that could possibly be extracted and cloned, although this popular theory is controversial, due to financial costs and ethical issues.
Bibliography:
Woolly Mammoth, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/woolly-mammoth/
Woolly Mammoth, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woolly_mammoth

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Sage

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Sage

You will become wise when you eat sage.

  • Sage is a herb that is a perennial plant with the scientific name Salvia officinalis, that originated in the Mediterranean.
  • Sage comes from the family Lamiaceae, the family of mint and deadnettle, and it has a slightly sweet and light peppery taste, that is often used to flavour savoury foods.
  • Sage is commonly used to season meat and stuffing, particularly during Thanksgiving, and is also used in Italian and other European cuisines.
  • Essential oil can be obtained from sage leaves, and the leaves have an abundance of special acids, as well as estrogenic material, niacin and flavones.
  • Sage was commonly used in Ancient Roman and Greek society to treat numerous medical illnesses, and it is still considered to be of medicinal value.

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  • Sage can be used to preserve meat, and this has been known since Ancient times.
  • Fresh sage leaves, which are coloured green to a slight grey, have a more prominent flavour compared to the leaves when then are dry.
  • Sage is commonly available in supermarkets in dried form, and the herb can be bought whole, roughly grounded or powdered, dried or fresh.
  • Sage is believed to increase memory and brain power as shown by numerous experiments.
  • Sage is extremely high in vitamin K, and it also contains calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and fibre.

 

Bibliography:
Sage, 2014, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=76
Salvia officinalis, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_officinalis

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Venice

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Venice

Venice is a city of history and water.

  • Venice is a city located in Europe, in the northeastern area of Italy, that is made of a lagoon, 118 islands, 177 canals and 409 bridges.
  • ‘Venice’ is also known as ‘La Dominante’, ‘City of Masks’, ‘Serenissima’, ‘City of Water’, ‘The Floating City’, ‘Queen of the Adriatic’, ‘City of Canals’ and ‘City of Bridges’.
  • Venice is considered as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 due to the lagoon, canals and historical constructions.
  • Venice was the home to approximately 270,700 people in 2009, and the population count has been historically erratic due to the destructive Black Plague between the 14th to 17th centuries.
  • Venice was probably founded by numerous escapees of surrounding country invasions, and the first ruler, the doge, Paolo Lucio Anafesto, in 697 is believed to have been Exarch Paul.
Venice Canal in Dorsoduro, Europe, City, Water, Boats, Scenic, Ten Random Facts, Flickr, Place,
Part of Venice
Image courtesy of Diana Robinson/Flickr
  • From the 800s, Venice was a popular trade site, particularly once coastline pirates were defeated; and later it became well known for its famous aritsts, and it now has the most masterpieces per kilometre in the world.
  • Occasionally, Venice is flooded by high tides of the Adriatic Sea, known as ‘acqua alta’, and these especially high tides can increase water depths by up to 1.94 metres (6.36 feet), as recorded in 1966, although generally they are less than a 1.5 metre (4.9 feet) increase.
  • Historical Venice style buildings made from stone or brick, were generally built on timber poles that are embedded in clay, mud and sand, and they mostly remain in good condition, even though they have been submerged in water for hundreds of years.
  • Venice is a very popular tourist destination, with visitors attracted to the city’s incredible architecture and uniqueness, as well as the famous annual Carnival of Venice held early in the year, although the number of visitors, approximately 60,000 every day, has caused some controversy due to the sheer quantity and potential damage they can generate on various levels.
  • Typical transport in Venice includes gondolas and other boats that use the canals; automobiles and trains; and aircraft facilities are also available.
Bibliography:
Venice, 2014, Lonely Planet, http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/venice
Venice, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice
Venice and its Lagoon, 2014, UNESCO WHC, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/394

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Sun Bear

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Sun Bear

Sun bears are not bright and happy when threatened.

  • Sun bears are mammals native to Southeast Asian tropical forests that typically live by themselves in trees, where they make themselves nests that they rest in.
  • Sun bears have the scientific name Helarctos malayanus and are from the family Ursidae, the family of bears, and there are two subspecies – Herlarctos malayanus malayanus (Malayan) and Herlarctos malayanus euryspilus (Bornean).
  • ‘Sun bears’ are also known as ‘dog bears’, due to their facial features resembling those of a dog, ‘honey bears’ and ‘Malay bears’.
  • A sun bear’s fur is typically coloured black, and it can also have grey, brown, red, orange or yellow markings, especially on the upper body under the neck, where there is crescent which is interpreted as a sunrise.
  • Sun bears are the smallest species of bear, and they range from 120 to 150 centimetres (4 to 5 feet) in height and grow to be 27 to 70 kilograms (60 to 150 pounds) in weight.
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Sun Bear
Image courtesy of Ryan Poplin/Flickr
  • The diet of sun bears mainly consists of insects including ants and termites, as well as fruit, but they also consume birds, eggs, larvae, rodents, nuts, reptiles and honey, while smaller foods are reached via a 20 to 25 centimetre (7.9 to 9.8 inch) long tongue.
  • Sun bears have litters of one or two cubs that are born blind and without hair, and they have a lifespan that ranges from 15 to 30 years.
  • Sun bears are classified as vulnerable due to logging illegally in forest habitats and poaching.
  • Sun bears are preyed on by snakes, some large mammals from the cat family and birds of prey.
  • Sun bears can move at speeds of 48 kilometres per hour (30 miles per hour) and are very fast climbers.
Bibliography:
Sun Bear, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/sun-bear/
Sun Bear, 2014, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/sun-bear/
Sun Bear, 2014, San Diego Zoo, http://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/sun-bear
Sun Bear, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_bear

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Hair Dryer

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Hair Dryer

Be careful not to mess up your hair with a hair dryer.

  • Hair dryers are electrical machines used to dry and evaporate water molecules in hair or other materials, using air flow.
  • A ‘hair dryer’ is also known as a ‘blowdryer’ and a ‘blow dryer’.
  • Hair dryers typically contain a motor that runs a fan, that blows air across hot, electricity-powered wires to produce a warm flow of air.
  • Hair dryers were first invented in 1888 by French hairstylist Alexandre Godefroy, and although his invention produced heat, it did not blow air.
  • Hair dryers are often made with attachments that may spread air, that helps to maintain hair shape; or focus air, which allows quicker drying.

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  • Early hair dryers were typically large and long, in an upside-down bowl shape, and were used by placing one’s head underneath the air-blowing opening.
  • Vacuum cleaners are said to have been used for hair drying purposes, before the introduction of hair dryers.
  • Hair dryers were originally designed from heavy materials including metal, but they became more practical and lightweight with the introduction of plastic.
  • A handheld hair dryer was invented by Gabriel Kazanjian, an inventor from America, in 1908, that used heated air flow with a fan, which is the basis of our modern devices.
  • Hair dryers resulted in hundreds of annual electrocutions up until significant legislation was set up in the 1970s and the 1990s, and due to the safety regulations, they are now considered a safe appliance to use with very few related deaths occurring.

 

Bibliography:
Gross J, Who made that hair dryer?, 2013, The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/21/magazine/who-made-that-hair-dryer.html?_r=0
Hair Dryer, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_dryer

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