Z is for Zarf

My theme for A- Z was the year my book takes place: 1881. My plan was to post about people, places, and random facts about the year as it relates - however distantly - to my book, West of Paradise. However, I ran into a little trouble with these last three letters, so instead I tried to find interesting words beginning with the appropriate letter that people might not be familiar with.

And so I give you Z for Zarf, a chalice-like holder for a hot coffee cup, typically made of ornamented metal and used in the Middle East. And while you may think of coffee as an 18th century discovery, it was in Turkey that it first became popular in the 13th century. Like the serving of tea in China and Japan, the serving of coffee in Turkey was a complex ritualized process, and the coffee was served in small cups without handles. These were then placed in holders known as zarf to not only protect the cup, but also the fingers of the person drinking the hot coffee.

Zarf could also be a pretty nice Scrabble word assuming you found the right spot for it.

There are no zarfs in my tale, but as an added bonus for sticking with me to the end of the alphabet, I'm giving away a copy of West of Paradise to one lucky winner. Anyone who comments and is interested these last three days of the challenge will be automatically entered to win.


And now for that comfy chair and a glass of wine...perhaps some Zinfandel might be appropriate :)

Y is for Yapok

My theme for A- Z was the year my book takes place: 1881. My plan was to post about people, places, and random facts about the year as it relates - however distantly - to my book, West of Paradise. However, as you may recall from yesterday's post, I had a hard time with these last three letters...

So, in the spirit of randomness, I tried to find interesting words beginning with the appropriate letter that people might not be familiar with. This brings us to today's letter, Y, and the Yapok, an aquatic marsupial mammal of tropical America, having dense fur, webbed hind feet and long tail. The Yapok is also know as the Water Opossum

There are no yapoks in my tale, but as an added bonus for sticking with me to the end of the alphabet, I'm giving away a copy of West of Paradise to one lucky winner. Anyone who comments and is interested these last three days of the challenge will be automatically entered to win.

Tomorrow I'll have an interesting Z word, after which I believe I'll collapse into a comfy chair with a glass of wine.

FTL - Faster Than Light

If you read or watch scifi at all, you're probably familiar with the term FTL, or faster than light travel, because it's the only way we will ever be able to explore more of our solar system - nevermind the universe. Well, okay, not the only way (wormholes come to mind), but the fact is because everything in space is so damn far away if we want to know more then we've got to invent FTL travel.

One method would be to employ an Alcubierre drive, which, unlike most methods of FTL travel actually conforms to the General Theory of Relativity rather than violates it. This method of travel was conceived by Miguel Alcubierre who imagined a bubble of normal space–time around a spacecraft that would allow for FTL travel by expanding space itself behind the ship and compressing it in front. Normal physics still applies within the bubble, and so the passengers don’t feel any acceleration at all. The bad news according to Popular Mechanics:

You can’t get in or out of the bubble. Crossing the threshold would probably crush and obliterate a spaceship.

You can’t destroy the bubble. One must deform space–time to make the bubble in the first place. How would you re-form it? No one knows.

You might destroy your destination. Even if scientists knew how to stop the bubble once it started, decelerating would release high-energy particles from the front-facing side. Anything at the destination "would be high-energy-particle blasted into oblivion." 

It requires energies that might be impossible (or incredibly difficult) to achieve. In mathematical models, the sides of the bubble would require energy per unit of volume to be less than zero. We’re not sure this "exotic energy" exists. And if it does, it would take 10 billion times the mass of the observable universe.

The good news is NASA is actually working on this (is that not so cool?!) and physicist Harvey White says the energy problem may be surmountable by "tweaking the warp drive's geometry" and thereby reducing the energy needed from "a planet with a mass equivalent to over 300 Earths, down to an object that weighs just under 1,600 pounds.

What’s more, if you oscillate the space warp, White claims you could reduce the energy load even further. Instead of taking “decades or centuries,” White says this would allow us to visit a spot like Alpha Centauri — a little over four light years from us — in as little as “weeks or months.”

So, where do you want to go?

Clones and cloning

SOURCE

A clone is a cell product or organism that is genetically identical to the unit or individual from which it was derived. Cloning is the process of creating genetically identical individuals.

Did you know that in 2006 the FDA gave its approval to meat which came from cloned animals, with no special labeling required? Or that Dolly, the first successfully cloned animal, was born only after 277 eggs were used to create 29 embryos, only one of which lived? Not good odds. Plus Dolly only lived 7 years and allegedly "had pathologies resembling accelerated aging." However, Ian Wilmut - part of the team who cloned Dolly - claims that her premature death was "unrelated to the deficiencies with the cloning process." To learn more about the risks of cloning click here.


One of the most interesting things I learned about cloning is the idea that it could bring back extinct species like the wooly mammoth and/or save those on the endangered list. However, "many conservation biologists and environmentalists vehemently oppose cloning endangered species - mainly because they think it may deter donations to help preserve natural habitat and wild animal populations." Sadly I have to agree with them.

Bottom line, we know how to clone, but we don't yet know how to do it exactly right, and there is still a question of whether we should. What do you think about cloning?

 

Samuel Johnson

Today I thought I'd share some fun insults from a book I have on my desk called, Samuel Johnson's Insults. But first, I'll tell you about the man...

Dr. Johnson - as he was often called - was a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor, and lexicographer. In 1755, Johnson's A Dictionary of the English Language was published after nine years of work. It has been described as "one of the greatest single achievements of scholarship," and considered the pre-eminent British dictionary until the completion of the Oxford English Dictionary (also known as the OED). According to my little book, Johnson's "was an age of insults. Never has abuse been served up with more zest than in the eighteenth century." For example, "when the earl of Standish complained that his former friend, the libertine John Wilkes, '[would] die either on the gallows, or of the pox,' Wilkes replied, 'That must depend on whether I embrace your lordship's principles or your mistress.'"*

Here then, are a few insults from the book:


footlicker: A slave; an humble fawner, one who licks the foot.

looby: A lubber; a clumsy clown.

pettifogger: A petty small-rate lawyer.

slubberdegullion: A paltry, dirty, sorry wretch.

toper: A drunkard.

 
Now, go forth and see if you can't make use of one of these words today. I'm sure you can find at least one footlicker in your travels.



*Sources: Wikipedia, and, Samuel Johnson's Insults, ed. by Jack Lynch 

Zulu

In the phonetic alphabet, Zulu represents the letter Z. The Zulu Kingdom was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the South to Pongola River in the north. The small kingdom grew to dominate much of Southern Africa until it came into conflict with the British Empire in the 1870s during the Anglo-Zulu War where it was ultimately defeated.

Today the Zulu people are the largest ethnic group in South Africa, with an estimated 10–11 million people living mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Their language, Zulu, is a Bantu language. Under apartheid, Zulu people were classed as third-class citizens and suffered from state-sanctioned discrimination. Today they are the most numerous ethnic group in South Africa, and now have equal rights along with all other citizens.

source: http://www.culture-cultures.com/culture-in-south-africa/south-africa-culture-tradition.asp

Yankee

In the phonetic alphabet, Yankee represents the letter Y. The word Yankee has a number of meanings. It could refer to people from the United States in general, or to those originating in the northeastern US, or still more narrowly New England, where the term is largely restricted to the descendents of the English settlers of the region.

I might also mention the New York Yankees, but since they are the EVIL EMPIRE, I will say no more about them and instead offer this







;)

Whiskey

In the phonetic alphabet, Whiskey represents the letter W and here is the short version of everything you ever want to know about whiskey but were afraid to ask:

Whisky (British English) or whiskey (Irish English and American English) is made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn. Whiskey is typically aged in wooden cask, made generally of charred white oak. One of the important things to remember is that the product never ages in the bottle, only in the cask. The cask is of the utmost importance in whiskey production. Chemically, the whiskey is defined as the time between distillation and bottling.There is a wide variety of whiskey types:

Single Malt Whiskey is malt whiskey produced from the whiskey of a single distiller. It is important to remember that unless the whiskey is labeled "single-cask", it is most likely whiskeys from multiple casks blended to get the taste associated with that distiller's product.  

Vatted Malt Whiskey is malt whiskey produced from a blend of whiskeys from multiple distilleries. Typically, when a whiskey is labeled as "malt" or "pure malt", the consumer can assume he or she is purchasing a vatted malt whiskey.

Blended Whiskey is whiskey produced by mixing both malt and grain whiskies. In addition to both malt and grain whiskies, blended whiskey typically includes caramel, natural spirits and flavoring to create the final whiskey product.  

Single Barrel Whiskey is a specialty whiskey in which every bottle is from a unique cask. Each bottle of single barrel whiskey can have a distinctive flavor. Often the individual bottles are labeled with the specific cask number.

Cask Strength is whiskey that is bottled from the cask without dilution. This type of whiskey is also known as barrel proof. Cask strength whiskey is exceedingly rare in the present day and only found when dealing with the highest quality product.

The most interesting drink I found made with whiskey is the blue blazer which was created by Jerry Thomas (author and bartender) in San Francisco. Thomas would only make the drink if the outside temperature was 50 °F (10 °C) or below or if the person ordering the drink had a cold or the flu, whose symptoms the drink was to alleviate.

However, it is not so much the drink (which is just a simple whisky punch) but the actual mixing that is unique. Originally mixed in two silver cups, the whisky and water were heated up separately and poured into their own cups. The whisky was then lit on fire, and while it was burning, the water and whisky were poured back and forth between the cups without extinguishing the fire. Jerry Thomas held the cups at a meter's distance from each other while mixing, creating a long blue flame between the two cups.

The Recipe

2½ oz rye or bourbon whiskey or Brandy

2½ oz boiling water

1 tsp powdered sugar

Lemon peel

To learn more about whiskey, go here, or here.

Uniform

In the phonetic alphabet, Uniform represents the letter U. My ever so reliable dictionary says that as an adjective, uniform means 1. always the same, unchanging. 2. consistent in appearance. As a noun: 1. a distinctive outfit intended to identify those who wear it as members of a specific group. 2. a single outfit of such apparel.

I don't know if any of you remember, but this is the outfit I pictured Hugh (a ghost from my novel GRIMOIRE) wearing - minus the sword. But he definitely had a hat like that he liked to remove with a flourish :)

Kilo

In the phonetic alphabet, Kilo represents the letter K. According to my dictionary, kilo is 1. kilogram 2. kilometer - [which I personally find confusing since to me those are two different things.]

Wikipedia gives this definition: Kilo- (symbol: k, lowercase) is a unit prefix in the metric system denoting multiplication of the unit by one thousand... The kilo prefix is derived from the Greek word χίλιοι (chilioi), meaning thousand. It was originally adopted by Antoine Lavoisier's group in 1795, and introduced into the metric system in France with its establishment in 1799.


Kilo might also refer to a district (of which there are 50!!!) of Espoo, a large city in Finland. Kilo is a place of homes and small industry. The head police station of Espoo is located in Kilo. Unfortunately there is a shortage of services in Kilo and for example to visit the post office or the pharmacist one would have to go to neighbouring district Leppävaara or the neighbouring municipality of Kauniainen.

Hands down the most interesting kilo is the kilo class submarine, a diesel-electric submarine that is made in Russia. The original version of the vessels were designated Project 877 Paltus (Halibut) in Russia. There is also a more advanced version, designated as Improved Kilo [now that's imaginative].

The Kilo class was to have been succeeded by the Lada Class. In November 2011 the Russian Navy announced that the Lada class will not enter service because trials with the lead boat of the new class, Sankt Peterburg (B-585) had shown major deficiencies. Construction of two further boats has been suspended.
The boats are mainly intended for anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations in relatively shallow waters. Original Project 877 boats are equipped with Rubikon MGK-400 sonar system,which includes a mine detection and avoidance sonar MG-519 Arfa. Newer Project 636 boats are equipped with improved MGK-400EM, with MG-519 Afra also upgraded to MG-519EM. The improved sonar systems have reduced the number of operators needed by sharing the same console via automation.

India

In the phonetic alphabet, India represents the letter I. According to Wikipedia, India is 'officially the Republic of India (Bhārat Gaṇarājya), a country in South Asia. It is the seventh largest country by geographical area, and the second most populous. Four of the world's major religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism - originated here.' The current population is 1.17 billion, the capital is New Delhi, and it supports over 15% of the world's population even though it only occupies 2.4% of the world's land area.

 This is India's flag:

Two of India's national symbols are the lotus flower...

and the banyan tree...

my favorite

and if you want to see some truly amazing photos of India, go here.

Hotel

In the phonetic alphabet, Hotel represents the letter H. My trusty American Heritage Dictionary defines hotel as a public house that provides lodging and usually board and other services. Hmm, that's not quite what I conjure up when I think of the word. In fact, when I think hotel, I think like this:

 

Emirates Palace Hotel

The Millenium Biltmore Hotel - I'll bet it's pretty luxurious...

or this modern fancy...

but I'm thinking Greece - looks lovely, doesn't it?

Gulf

In the phonetic alphabet, Gulf represents the letter G. My dictionary defines gulf as 1. A large area of a sea or ocean partially enclosed by land; especially, a long landlocked portion of sea opening through a straight. 2. A deep wide chasm; abyss. 3.  A separating distance; wide gap: "the gulf between the Victorian sensibility and our own..."

Here are a few Gulfs you may know ...

The Gulf of Aden (Arabic: خليج عدن‎ Ḫalīǧ ʻAdan, Somali: Gacanka Cadmeed) is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula and Somalia. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide. The waterway is part of the Suez Canal shipping route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Sea in the Indian Ocean. The gulf is known by the nickname "Pirate Alley" due to the large amount of pirate activity in the area.*

The Gulf of Mexico (Spanish: Golfo de México) is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba.*

The Gulf of Nicoya (Spanish: Golfo de Nicoya) is an inlet of the Pacific Ocean. It separates the Nicoya Peninsula from the mainland of Costa Rica, and encompasses a marine and coastal landscape of wetlands, rocky islands and cliffs.*

This Gulf of Nicoya Island might be a nice vacation spot:

 source

* courtesy of Wikipedia

Foxtrot

In the phonetic alphabet, Foxtrot represents the letter F. My dictionary defines foxtrot as 1. a. A ballroom dance in 2/4 or 4/4 time, composed of slow and fast steps. b. The music for this dance.

Echo

In the phonetic alphabet, Echo represents the letter E. The definition of echo - per my ever so reliable American Heritage Dictionary - is 1. Repetition of a sound by reflection of sound waves from a surface 2. The sound produced in this manner 3. Any repetition or imitation of something, as of the opinions, speech, or dress of another. Twins often echo one another, for example.

In Greek Mythology, Echo was a nymph whose unrequited love for Narcissus caused her to pine away until nothing but her voice remained.

Delta

 

In the phonetic alphabet, Delta represents the letter D. According to my American Heritage Dictionary (1969), delta is also 1. The fourth letter of the Greek Alphabet Δδ 2. A usually triangular alluvial deposit at the mouth of a river 3. Anything resembling the shape of a triangle 4. In Mathematics A finite increment in a variable.


A delta ray is 1. An electron ejected (weeeeee!!!) from matter by ionizing radiation 2. The track of such an electron in a nuclear emulsion or cloud-chamber photograph.

A delta wing is an aircraft with sweptback wings that give it the appearance of an isosceles triangle.

But some of you might like this Delta best...

Delta Goodrem

She's pretty.

Alpha

In the phonetic alphabet, Alpha represents the letter A. According to my dictionary - a very old but perfectly serviceable American Heritage circa 1969 - Alpha is also 1. the first letter in the Greek alphabet 2. the first of anything; beginning 3. the brightest or main star in a constellation 4. first in order of importance. [Greek, from a Phoenician word akin to Hebrew aleph, ALEPH.]

Here are a few Alphas you may or may not be familiar with...


Alpha Centauri - if you're a Geek like me you know this is a double star in Centaurus, the brightest in the constellation, 4.4 light years away from Earth.

Alpha Crucis - but I'll wager you didn't know this was a double star, too, in the constellation Crux, approx. 230 light years away.

Alpha Leonis - Also a star, known as Regulus, in the constellation Leo.

Alpha particle - a positively charged composite particle.
Alpha privative - the Greek negative prefix

Alpha ray -  a stream of alpha particles
Apha rhythm - the most common electroencephalographic waveform found in recordings of the electrical activity of the adult cerebral cortex, characteristically 8 to 12 smooth, regular oscillations per second in subjects at rest. also called 'alpha wave.'

the difference between a zombie and a ghoul

I was wondering about this the other day after playing Fallout 3 at my brother’s because there are lots of ghouls in the game but no zombies. Some of the ghouls are sane (albeit horrific looking) and you can talk to them, trade with them, and get information from them. But other ghouls – mainly the ones who live in the abandoned subways – are like zombies, mindless killing machines. And like zombies, the only way to kill a ghoul for sure is to shoot it in the head, otherwise, there’s a good chance it will re-animate and come after you again. Thankfully they aren't too hard to kill - unless they come in a swarm, then you better have something semi-automatic or run.

Anywhere, for those who care to know:

A zombie is a reanimated corpse or a human who is being controlled by someone else by use of magic with some media renditions using a pandemic illness to explain their existence.

A ghoul is a folkloric monster associated with graveyards and consuming human flesh, often classified as undead. The oldest surviving literature that mention ghouls is likely One Thousand and One Nights. The term is first attested in English in 1786, in William Beckford’s Orientalist novel, Vathek, which describes the ghūl of Arabian folklore.

There's also another fun game my brother has called Left for Dead, in which you're in a zombie infested city with three companions and you have to find/fight your way to safety. This is a multi-player game so my brother and I can play together. But I still like Fallout better.

So, do you prefer zombies or ghouls?

A few of my favorite words

Bloody – which I got from reading too many historical romance novels. It was a way for the hero in the story to sound tough without using any swear words. Which is kind of funny when I think about how much sex went on…


Dodgy – I heard this word in a song recently on someone’s blog and it made me laugh. It’s akin to a word we use in my house to describe some of my cats who are a bit untrustworthy and socially maladjusted. We call those cats sketchy, or sketchballs.

Git – Ron used this word a few times in HP, referring to Malfoy, I think.

Fancy – This is one of my favorites when referring to a member of the opposite sex. For example, I definitely fancy George Clooney over Brad Pitt.

Piker – My son brought this one home and it seems to refer to some lazy-ass git.

Shite – My sister was married to a Scotsman for a time and she introduced to me this word which I often use instead of the Americanized shit, which, frankly, just sounds rude.

Snog or Snogging – Once again, thanks to HP I now think of kissing as snogging.

Wanker – Another lovely word courtesy of my former Scottish brother-in-law, as in, he’s a right wanker isn’t he? Not complimentary.

All these lovely words almost make me wish for a re-unification!



Meanwhile, we’ve had snow flying since last night and I am absolutely ecstatic to be home and not having to go anywhere.

lucky me

As I got into my car today to head home from the grocery store a sprew* opened up in front of me. Maybe this is my lucky day!


*noun, A "pull through" parking space: a slot in a parking lot that allows you to pull your car through to the opposite side of the row, allowing your car to be facing front out, which makes it easy when you are leaving. A normal space can become a sprew if when you return to your car you find the car in the opposing space has already left. In that case, your space has been "sprewed." (http://www.addictionary.com/)