Sea Salt and Table Salt

One of the new trendy health food items is sea salt. The claim is that sea salt is better for people because there is less processing involved. Packaging from all sorts of different foods and even restaurants proudly proclaim "made with sea salt!" as if it's a much better thing. But is it really any better?

As with nearly all elements of food, what's in the media or popular at the time might change. Not long ago, there was the switching from high fructose corn syrup back to real sugar as if real sugar was healthier. There's always the debate about eggs, which seems to switch from healthy to unhealthy and back within a couple years. So, what's the difference between table salt and sea salt? Is there a difference?

There is a difference in the salt and how it's made. Table salt is mined from land deposits, whereas sea salt is salt that has been collected after the water from a salt water body has been evaporated. Sometimes, these bodies of water are oceans or seas, sometimes they are salt lakes, and sometimes they are just salt water ponds created by the salt manufacturer. Table salt is processed to remove any other elements from the salt crystals, as well as usually adding iodine and a non-clumping agent. The other elements that can be found in salt (magnesium, calcium, etc.) are left in with the sea salt. These elements can give sea salts slightly different flavors and colors.

Different salt colors from around the world

Seems pretty different, right? Well, not exactly. The elements can adjust the taste somewhat and color, but if you look at the amount of sodium chloride (NaCl), the element that gives salt its taste, you will note that the amount of NaCl in table salt and sea salt is the exact same. Some people like to think and say that sea salt is a lower sodium alternative to table salt, when in actuality, it's exact same amount of sodium.

The only real differences turn out to be the minerals in the salt and the texture. The other minerals in sea salt may give sea salt a slightly different taste, but the minerals are in such a small quantity that the health benefits are negligible. Table salt has a uniform texture, whereas sea salt usually doesn't, but that's more appearance than health benefit.

So which is better? The Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Association agree that table salt and sea salt are the exact same when it comes to nutritional value. However, taste and texture can be different. So in the end, follow the researchers and don't give in to the media hype. Also remember that high uses of sodium (whether it be table salt or sea salt) can lead to health problems, so try not to have too much of either.

Once in a Blue Moon

There's an old phrase that goes "once in a blue moon". We all know it to mean once in a great while. But what is a blue moon and why does this phrase occur?

The term blue moon goes back a long time, but the first traces of it in written English are from a pamphlet written in 1528. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Maine Farmers' Almanac published the times of full moons for farmers. This publication was the first to explain the definition of a blue moon. But before their definition, you have to understand full moons first.

If you take a calendar year and split it into quarters, you are looking at four blocks of three months. Typically in a quarter, there are three full moons. Technically, there are 12.37 full moons a year. No, there aren't partial full moons, but mathematically, it works out to 12.37 full moons. This means that some years, there will be three full moons in a yearly quarter all year long. That year won't have a blue moon. But sometimes, there is a fourth full moon in the quarter. In order for the names of the three full moons to be kept in check, the third full moon in a quarterly amount of four full moons is considered to be the blue moon. This was the definition given by the Maine Farmers' Almanac.

However, in the 1940's, the magazine Sky & Telescope had an article about the blue moons. The author misinterpreted the definition that the almanac had made. He assumed that it meant some years there are 13 full moons instead of 12, and the second full moon in a month is considered to be the blue moon. Oddly enough, this inaccurate definition became the definition that people know.

So, last night, we had a blue moon, and the next one is scheduled to be for 2015. Since there is such a long period of time between blue moons, that's where the phrase "once in a blue moon" came to be known as once in a great while.

Also, don't forget the great classic song "Blue Moon".

The Flags on the Moon

Ever thought of the American flags left on the moon by the Apollo astronauts? All together, there have been six flags left on the moon from the six Apollo missions that landed on the moon. These flags were to forever immortalize the Americans' winning the space race and to symbolize the human spirit of peace through space exploration.

But what happened to these flags? Are they still there? Five of the six flags on the moon still stand. The one that doesn't is oddly the first one, placed by Armstrong and Aldrin. They planted the flag too close to the lunar module, and it blew over when they ignited their rocket to take off from the moon. However, the other five are exactly where they were the day they were planted.

We know they stand because there have been pictures taken of them still standing. These pictures are so clear that the rover tracks are still visible. So, 40 years later, the lunar rover tracks are still visible and the flags are still standing. End of story? Not exactly. You see, there has been quite a debate for a number of years as to what condition these flags would be in. When the pictures were taken, they proved the flags still stood. But, what they also proved was something that quite a few people had not expected.

To give you an idea, imagine you have a flag on your front porch, and you leave it outside for 40 years, what will happen to it? It will fade. Naturally weather and temperatures have a lot to do with that. Since there's no atmosphere on the moon or any weather, what do you think the flags look like today? Just as crisp and vibrant as the day they were planted?

No. After 40 years of unobstructed sunlight and sun radiation and temperature extremes that range from 14 straight days of temperatures around the boiling point to 14 straight days of -238 F, the flags can't handle that sort of brutality. According to the people studying the moon, the nylon flags not only lost their color a long time ago, but apparently the flags are now white.

Picture of the plaque left by Apollo 11

As it turns out, the most lasting piece of memorabilia the US left to show it was there is the commemorative plaque Armstrong and Aldrin left in 1969.

The Criterion Collection

In 1984, three men started the Criterion Collection. At the time, it was a video distribution company that released what they called "important classic and contemporary films", but it turned into one of the most respected film distribution and restoration companies in the world.

The reason they use the term "collection" in the name is because each release is numbered. Every film that comes out has a specific number, and the films can then be cataloged easily. In 1984, Criterion began releasing films on LaserDisc, beginning with 'Citizen Kane' (1941) and 'King Kong' (1933), which would be #1 and #2 respectively. Criterion would go on to release 384 LaserDisc films, the last being 1998's 'Armageddon'.

In the 80's, Criterion was a pioneer for the home video market by offering something new on some of their films: bonus features. Because the LaserDisc technology could allow for audio tracks on different analog channels, you could now hear foreign languages and audio commentaries. With scene indexes available, you could jump to the next scene without having to fast forward. You could also access things like movie trailers, documentaries, alternate endings, deleted scenes, and other content. The extra material gave viewers more information than just the movie (like VHS would).

One of the most important advances Criterion made for the home video was respecting the original aspect ratio of the movie. TV screens were in a 4:3 ratio, which is close to square. Many movies are in widescreen format (also called 'letterbox' because of the rectangular size), and when you showed a widescreen movie on a 4:3 screen, it would fill the screen, but it would chop the ends of the movie off. This is also how the "pan and scan" came about. If you watch a widescreen movie on a 4:3 screen, and you notice the camera seeming to move from side to side, but the screen appears almost fuzzy when it does this, that is a pan and scan. The editor of the video is trying to move the viewable area of the screen so you can see what you need to see, but since it isn't the actual camera, the quality is low. On Criterion's 8th LaserDisc released 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' (1956), they chose to keep the film intact and not do what is referred to as "fullscreen format". By retaining widescreen format, there are the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. Some find this annoying, but this way you can see the whole movie, and there is no annoying pan and scan taking place.

Criterion originally released mainstream, genre, and some art house films, but it really made a name for itself when it began to work with film restoration. They began to release more and more world cinema, cinema classics, and obscure films.

In 1998, Criterion ceased LaserDisc and began releasing films on DVD, but starting the number over at #1 with 'Grand Illusion' (1937). The DVD editions have been so popular than when they began releasing BluRay editions in December 2008, they released the BluRays alongside the DVD with the same numbers.

Criterion-released films were originally marketed as a "film school in a box". As a result, film students, film professors, filmmakers, and film aficionados preferred the Criterion edition to the regular edition, even though the price was usually higher. The numbered releases made collectors desire to have all the collection. This became difficult when Criterion sometimes lost the rights to the films. These films would go out of print as Criterion editions, and would surface for outrageous prices on sites like Ebay and Amazon. It is not unheard of for an out of print Criterion DVD to go for close to $200 on these sites.

Currently, Criterion is more popular than ever before. It's DVD/BluRay list of numbered titles now pass #670. They are the most respected art house film company in the world, and their popularity grows with each subsequent title.

For the most information (and a complete list of DVD/BluRay releases), go to their website. For a list of the LaserDisc releases (most of which were never released on DVD or BluRay), go here.

August 2, 1923 - Death of a President

For 90 years now, there has been speculation over the death of President Warren G. Harding. But why? Where did it come from? And how did he really die? Most likely, the simplest answer for most of these is to know that Harding was his own worst enemy.

Florence and Warren G. Harding

In 1920, Harding was elected president mostly for his photogenic looks (unlike his competitor) and his help as a senator in giving women the right to vote. That election year was the first that allowed women to vote in a presidential election, and the women didn't forget it. His plans for the presidency were high, but after he was elected, his views expanded beyond the traditional view of his party at the time. Following the previous president Wilson's traits, Harding attempted to be progressive and move the US in new directions.

What most people didn't know about Harding was that he was a partier. He was most known in the political arena for having numerous affairs, for drinking and smoking way too much, and having marathon poker matches. It's been reported that one time he gambled away some White House china. Other than these activities, the only real kind of exercise he had was playing some golf.

Domestically, Harding actually did some good things like signing legislation on child welfare and ending railroad strikes. He tried to pass anti-lynching bills and the unemployment rate dropped in half under his tenure. He was also surrounded by controversy because of events like the Teapot Dome Scandal. Some of his cabinet members would be sent to prison. Nonetheless, Harding was a complex man who did a lot of good for the US, but has been overshadowed by his scandals, affairs, and the mysterious way he died.

Leading up to August 2, 1923, Harding was in poor health. He was traveling across the US giving speeches, but as the trip went on, he was becoming more and more exhausted and ill. He developed an illness that was thought to be pneumonia. He was given some herbs and caffeine, and he showed signs of improvement. Those around him thought he was on the way to being better, but on the evening of August 2, 1923, he collapsed while talking with his wife in their room in a San Francisco hotel.

Cause of death were guessed by many, some saying stroke and others saying heart attack. We won't know for sure because his wife refused to allow an autopsy. It was around the time of her refusal that another theory came up: maybe she had something to do with his death. Her actions immediately following the death didn't help with her case: she found as many of his papers as she could find (public and personal) and burned them.

The real reason the theory that Florence Harding has been blamed by many is because of a book that came out called 'The Strange Death of President Harding'. The book alleges that Mrs. Harding poisoned him because of his affairs and crooked dealings. This book, however, was 'written' by Gaston Means, who was a well-known private detective, bootlegger, con man, forger, swindler, blackmailer, and murder suspect. (Fans of the show 'Boardwalk Empire' will know the name since he was portrayed in the third season.) It came out later that Means only took credit for writing the book, and the ghostwriter had been cut out of her share of the books profits which is why she came forward. Means didn't care because he'd already made his money and moved on to his next scheme.

Scholars have looked at the reports of Harding's health around the time, and most agree that he had been suffering from 'cardiac insufficiency with congestive heart failure' in the time before his death. However, it is true that we will probably never really know what killed the president. However, one thing is true: he was not murdered, and instead died of natural reasons.

Rise and Fall of the LaserDisc

Certain technologies that have found their way into the past still resonate with younger generations. Things like cassette tapes, VHS tapes, rotary dial phones, and others are things that are pretty much gone but not forgotten. There is one technology that many younger people aren't familiar with, and that's the LaserDisc.

Pioneer VP-1000 LaserDisc Player

 The LaserDisc can trace is origins to the late 1950's. David Paul Gregg and James Russell invented "laser disc technology" which used a transparent disc. They patented their invention in 1961, which was bought by MCA in 1968. The following year, Phillips (a competitor) successfully developed a videodisc that played in reflective mode, which has more advantages than the transparent disc. MCA and Phillips then again agreed to collaborate on the technology, and first publicly demonstrated the technology in 1972.

On December 15, 1978, the LaserDisc was first put on the market in Atlanta, but it wasn't known as LaserDisc yet because it was first marketed as 'MCA DiscoVision'. The MCA-Phillips cooperation wasn't as successful as they'd hoped, even though Phillips made the players and MCA made the discs. By 1980, Pioneer purchased a majority stake in the technology and began releasing what they called "LaserDisc", or formally "Laser Videodisc".

The first North American release on LaserDisc was the MCA DiscoVision release of 'Jaws' in 1978.

There were positives and negatives to the technology. Negatives being that the players were expensive and so were the movies themselves. Although the video and audio quality were much better than VHS or Betamax, the price just couldn't come down enough. Some abilities of the DVD and BluRay come straight from the LaserDisc's huge advantage over the VHS: bonus features. The 1984 release of the Criterion Collection's release of 'Citizen Kane' was the first Special Edition movie released. By allowing for more than one audio channel on the disc, viewers could now listen to the audio of the movie or a commentary of the movie or even other languages of the movie. However, LaserDisc's were like vinyl records in that you have to turn them over since they held (at most) one hour of video per side. Those who had LaserDiscs in the US were deeply devoted to them and even claimed superiority of the technology when the DVD was released in the 90's. Even though for some early DVDs this might have been true, the way the technology is setup is different, and allows for better quality and ease of use for the DVD.

Comparison of disc sizes

By 1998, it was estimated that only about 2% of US households had a LaserDisc player, whereas in Japan, it was around 10%. The LaserDisc just never really caught on in the US, but was very popular in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and other Eastern Asian areas. The technology never blossomed in Europe or Australia and remains nearly an unknown there. Within a couple years, discs and players were no longer sold in American stores, and the importing of players from Japan ceased in 2001. The last movie distributed in the US on LaserDisc was 'Bringing Out the Dead' in 2000. Pioneer continued to make the players until 2009, when they ceased production.

Even though this technology has fallen into the sands of the past, it certainly isn't forgotten. Those that still have their LaserDisc players are extremely devoted, usually still refusing to accept DVD or BluRay. The LaserDisc is a very important technology in that without it, who knows what DVDs or BluRays would be like today.

Is It a Dolphin or Porpoise?

Can you believe that in our advanced society of science that not all scientists agree on what is a dolphin or a porpoise? There are some holdouts and which is which. So what is the difference you ask? There are some traits that are generally agreed to be specific to dolphins and some specific to porpoises.

Porpoise on top, Dolphin on bottom

Firstly, if you look at their mouths, the snout of each animal is referred to as the beak (kind of like a bird). The dolphin's beak is longer and sleeker than the porpoise's. Secondly, look at their dorsal fin (the fin on their backs). The dolphin's tends to be curved or hooked, whereas the porpoise fin tends to be more of a triangle. Thirdly, look at the actual body shape. The dolphin tends to be leaner and sleeker overall, whereas the porpoise seems to be more plump and not as sleek. Fourthly, their teeth. The dolphin has cone-shaped teeth, but the porpoise has shorter spade-shaped teeth. Fifthly, listen to them. The dolphins are very talkative and make all sorts of sounds. The porpoise doesn't seem to do this, and it's believed it's because of the way their heads are shaped. The dolphin's sounds come from the blowhole on the top of their head, but the porpoise head is shaped differently, which is why that theory is believed by most.

On the other hand, there are two big similarities of dolphins and porpoises. Firstly, they are both highly intelligent creatures. They learn and adapt well, they are very social and curious, they form close bonds, and they are able to generate and effectively use sonar. Secondly, they are similar in size and shape. They both belong to the order Cetacea which includes whales also. All three are marine mammals that share the same general habitat.

Generally, it is agreed that there are 32 species of dolphin (plus 5 species of river dolphins), which includes the largest dolphin: the killer whale (which is actually a dolphin). On the other hand, it is generally agreed that there are only 6 species of porpoise.

All the order of Cetacea (whales, dolphins, porpoises)