You've Got Mail...Again

Q: Dear e-Filer of Knowledge,

From old people jokes to pictures of Obama not pledging allegiance to the flag...where do forward e-mails originate from? Who sits down and decides, "I'm going to create this e-mail that will be forwarded across the world"?

From,

Over-stuffed inbox

A: Dear overwhelmed, oversold, overpitched and overemailed patron of the 100 Hour Board,

There are three main theories attributed to the source of most email forwards, and it is up to the reader (or the 100 HB's bottomless well of knowledge) to find the answer.

1. The emails all originate from sham companies in Nigeria. If you've ever received an email addressed to "Dear most honorable sir" regarding hidden funds, inherited wealth and a need to wire money you know what we're talking about. Given the shear volume of these emails, it is quite possible all email forwards come from Dr Klement Okon III esquire.
2. Emails may or may not be true, but are generated by the Syndicate (the secret government ala X-Files) as an elaborate mass-information / disinformation campaign to generate public interest, concern or to drive policies. This leads to a lot of unclear political and corporate information. Although it may be hard to imagine why a shadow government hiding the arrival of extra-terrestrials are interested in the size of any one's...umm.."endowment".
3. Irma Walton of Ft Lauderdale, Florida. Although that is her alias. But if you happen to be on a certain Aunt's email list - you know what I'm talking about.

On a more serious (ok factual note), your question depends on the content. Of course a lot of scams originate from specific countries (and yes Nigeria tops that list), but scams actually share a lot in common with other emails. They are nothing new. the 419 Nigerian scams began as letters, telexes and faxes long before email became ubiquitous. And a lot of forwards describing laws, companies, politicians, sick people, photos, are old (really old) urban legends or hoaxes that have found new life in the internet age. A quick look at snopes.com will lead the reader to a good number of histories and authentications of these emails.

Even a lot of the political junk we hear about politicians are just recycled, yesterday's news. Some reach back to the muckraker's days. Of course a lot of things are new, and the majority is fake - or at least largely taken out of context. So who writes that? People with agendas. People with little else to do with their time. Probably the same people who think it's funny that scissors come in plastic packages you cannot open without a laser - or at least the scissors you were buying.

But if you ask us at the 100 Hour Board. We'll go with Irma Walton. Although, she may also be the originator of the Nigerian scams too. And now you'll wonder if she's checking for your credit cards the next time she pinches your cheeks.

100HB

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Yes...We Have No Bananas

Q: Dear 100hrb

You've shown time and time again that you truly know all the answers. so i will turn to you for another solution... where do seeds from lettuce, radishes, and carrots come from?

Regards,

a green thumb...

A: Dear Vermilion Opposable Digit,

Ah, we at the 100 Hour Board love when our readers begin thinking more about their food (we also love the unabashed ego-stroking). There is so much wonder to be found in what we eat. Amazing things really. For example, that broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli rabe, cauliflower, etc. are all really just slightly differently developed plants. Man has been at it for quite a while.

So before we get too far, lettuce take a look at your question. A little anatomy is needed first. Plants have roots, stems, leaves and flowers - usually. A vegetable is really the part of a plant we eat that is not either fruit or seed (like wheat or rice). Fruits come from the plants ovary and surrounds the seeds. And then we use herbs (green parts) and spices (non-green parts). Vegetables are leaves, stems, pods, roots, storage vessels, bulbs, etc. Fruits are unique in that they are specifically grown to be yummy, in order to spread seeds. Veggies are things we have either become used to eating (bitterness), or we alter in some way to make them safe (soak, cook, beat, pound, etc.)

So in the case of all vegetables, there is another part of the plant that is an ovary and produces seeds. These then grow into other vegetables. We usually eat around these fruits, or eat the veggie before the flowers/seeds develop. There are few plants to we eat almost everything on it, usually we develop a breed for a specific part. Like beets and chard are the same plants, but we develop them differently to get good, big beets, or large leaves.

Take lettuce then. If left to grow it sprouts flowers - lots of them - this is called bolting. Of course we eat lettuce before it gets to this point, usually. Dandelion greens are delicious, and you are quite familiar with the flower.

Radishes are not roots - although some will dangle off. They are mostly a swollen stem, like a turnip, that isn't starchy like potatoes. But radishes are relatives of the cabbage family (even mustards too - which you may be more familiar with the seeds and flowers). They get flowers too - nice white ones with four leaves.

What does this mean for veggies then? You usually harvest - and kill - the ones you eat, and then dedicate another crop for developing seeds. There are a few perennials - like rhubarb, asparagus (grow from underground rhizomes) and Good King Henry. But many of these are not grown now because it is easier to harvest plants completely than parts of them.

Fruits are perennial, essential to the plants reproduction. So things we think of as having seeds (or eating them) are fruits: peas, beans, tomatoes, squash, artichoke - ok really a flower, etc. Fruits come from the plants ovary - usually in a flower - that has 4 steps: is fertilized (male pollen + female ovule - thank you bees!), fruit development, storage growth and ripening. There are exceptions. And thus are born "seedless" fruits.

Seedless plants are either 1) bred to be sterile - chromosomes prevent seed growth, like melons (though the sterile triploid plant must grow next to the unsterile diploid plant to get pollen) or 2)they are created without fertilization - like bananas, pineapples, grapes and naval oranges.

The issue with seedless fruits is they are a target for parasites or diseases b/c they are usually clones of each other.

Plant cultivation for food is a fascinating topic. We take for granted the years of cultivation, technology, breeding and science in what we eat. The 100 Hour Board for one is very interested in getting their own garden growing. But Community Supported Agriculture is also a good idea.

So - happy eating. Olive you to your food.

100 Hour Board

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But Officer...

Q: Dear 100 HRB,

All right, time to put you back to work hrb... when does an enforced speed limit go into effect, at the sign itself, or when you lay eyes on it?

Pat

A: Dear Speedy,

A local, municipal police officer pulls over a young businessman driving a new, shiny BMW. Behind mirrored shades, he approaches the window of the car. "Son, I've been waiting for you all day."

"Well officer. I tried to get here as quickly as possible."

In order to answer your question, the 100 Hour Board undertook several approaches. General research helped some. So did asking others. We even decided to speed and get caught so we could ask the officer. Several tickets, multiple points, one or two cans of mace, a couple of bail bonds and a new boyfriend named Chuck later, the 100 Hour Board can proudly share what it has learned.

• Police officers find no humor in pork, pig or porcine jokes


• Although it takes a while to dissipate, a constant stream of cool water helps eyes feel better from a direct hit of pepper or mace spray


• Since speed limit signs are posted at highway entrances, it is hard to find opportunity to ask the question


• Judges do not take kindly to answers in the general form of, "well that's stupid..."

But most importantly, speed limit signs mark the exact beginning of a speed limit zone. Not before or after. This is important to remember as you shift zones. For example, if you see a faster speed limit sign and speed up before you get to it, yep - you are speeding. I suppose some officers conveniently forget this fact as they catch you just before the speed limit drop.

So, the 100 HB does not know on what end of the speed limit and whether a ticket is involved in this question. But you can definitively know - and the bruise marks from the nightsticks remind me - that speed changes at the signage.

The real question though (or debate) is that many speed limits are well below the engineered safe speed limit as it offers a significant revenue stream for towns and states. And in the end also insurance companies that are state certified (you pay points). And in recent times, with budget shortfalls, towns and states are increasing their activity and decreasing tolerence for speeding. Is it fair? Probably not. Does it save you in taxes? Maybe a little. Just don't speed. Or at least go the correct speed under conditions - which in many states allows for faster driving given the 'safe flow of traffic'.

Oh - and those shiny CDs used to deter radars only serve as annoying mirror jewelry. No use.

100HB

PS - the 100HB apologizes for the slow speed in response, mostly attributed to the delinquent behavior by one member of the board. They will be appropriately ticketed and the apt punishment meted out. Probably forced to sit in a disabled vehicle on the Cross-Bronx Expressway during rush hour.

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Your Turn with "E" - UPDATED!

Things have been quiet at the 100 Hour Board. I suppose all of our fans must be moving or doing yardwork. So in light of this downturn in activity the 100 Hour Board offers you two puzzles, both headlining the letter "E". Please comment with your answers.

1. What starts with E, ends with E, usually contains only one letter, and is not E?

Yep - Nikki you are right. Envelope.


2. 

The correct answer is "seven". Although "5" could work.

100 HB

(Thanks to Mental Floss for inspiration)

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Though Mountains Divide...

Q: Dear 100 Hour Board:

How many times does "Its a Small World" play during one time on the ride in WDW??

Animatronic Anonymous (AA)

A: Dear Global Animatron,

At the 1964 New York World's Fair, Disney released his "Children of the World" pavilion ride in an effort to promote global unity and peace. After the fair the ride became "It's A Small World" due to the popularity of the song. To this day the ride consists of over 300 Audio-Animatronics figures and 100 international dolls. It is featured in Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disney and Euro Disney.

But what about that song? You know the one that plays continuously during the ride. The song was written by the Sherman brothers, Richard and Robert, specifically for the New York World's Fair ride. The original idea was to have a cacophony of audio-animatronic children singing their own national anthems. Disney told the Sherman brothers to write ONE song, a "roundelay" as he put it. He wanted people to remember it.

So the brothers created a song that you just can't get out of your head. As Robert puts it:

"Like many songs, It's A Small World has a verse and a chorus. One thing which makes this song particularly 'catchy' is that the verse and chorus work in counterpoint to each other. This means that you can play the same chords over and over again, but with different melodies. The repetitive, yet varied pattern tricks your mind into absorbing the work without it becoming tiresome to your ear."

To have an image of "counterpoint", imagine laying the chords of the chorus on top of the chords of the verse. Measure for measure, the chords would be the same. This makes the capacity to harmonize and countersync the chorus with the verse.

The counterpuntal juxtaposition makes the song more interesting to the ear. The Sherman Brothers wrote many songs this way including Doll On A Music Box/Truly Scrumptious from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

In 1985 Michael Eisner, Disney CEO, created a huge controversy by stating at the Hollywood Bowl that "It's A Small World" is the most played song of all time. Record companies baulked. Robert Sherman came to the rescue by explaining that the song plays non-stop, 16 hours a day on an endless loop in five locations worldwide. It is always playing in at least two locations on the globe. The song has been remixed several times and was part of the Dance Dance Revolution mix.

The song's duration is 2 minutes and 41 seconds. Disney lists the ride as lasting 15 minutes. Thus we can safely say that you will hear the song at least 6 times during a ride. This does not however include time waiting in line. Also this does not include the stops on the ride.

According to Wired News the "It’s A Small World" ride at Disneyland regularly bottoms out because today’s riders, um, displace more water than did patrons of the 1960s, when the ride debuted.

So I think it is safe to say that you will hear the song at least 12 times while waiting, riding and bottoming out on "It's A Small World" ride. Remember the song says, "It's a world of laughter...a world of tears" so whether you like the song or not the writers will illicit one of these two responses.

100HB

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Juice is Worth the Squeeze

Q: Dear 100 Hour Board,

I love orange juice. But I hate bad orange juice, you know, bitter or off-tasting. Given the many seasons, the different oranges, weather, etc that when you open any Tropicana Orange Juice bottle they all taste the same? Magic?

OJ

A: Dear Mr. Simpson?

Orange juice is a real delight, especially that fine product "bottled" by Tropicana. A direct product of squeezing - you guessed it - oranges, the product is full of vitamin C (ascorbic acid - good to prevent scurvy) and potassium. Orange juice comes fresh, frozen, concentrated and canned. Concentrated has been a staple of orange juice consumption for a long time, in fact the 100 Hour Board has manufactured it themselves in a lab setting under vacuum. It is even traded on the mercantile exchange as a commodity. (Trading at about $120.45 / side or contract. Contract = 15,000lbs juice).

But our friends at Tropicana have been doing things differently since 1947 - started by Italian Rossi in western Florida. Although it is now owned by PepsiCo. All the juice is fresh - never concentrate - and typically 100% orange juice. Although several additives are combined including calcium, vitamin D, and sometimes extra citric and malic acid to add acidity to counter calcium. Though all the product is pasteurized for safety. So Tropicana begins with a fresh quality product. Do note that over time vitamin C dissipates from the juice, and so is higher in the larger bottles.

Distribution is also unique. From the beginning delivering fresh orange juice was key, and Rossi invested in dedicated trains and ships, including the SS Tropicana which carried 1.5 million gallons of orange juice a week to NY. Even now Tropicana operates the Tropicana-CSX Juice Trains which deliver great, fresh and protected cargo around the country. You can see the Tropicana terminal in Port Newark off to the right side as you head on the I-78 Extension East.

But how about the standard taste all the time? According to Cathy at Tropicana's Cunsumer Response the company focuses on proven blending of orange juice. Although a 8 oz glass takes 3-4 oranges, it more likely contains portions of thousands. Mass blending of quality product ensures a uniform, predictable product that offsets the bitter ones.

Cathy went on to tell the 100 Hour Board about the orange choices:

"We always blend Valencia in with our juice because it is the best tasting variety for juice. We also use other varieties including: ~ Hamlin, Pineapple Sweet, Parson Brown (and, if from Brazil, Valencia and Pera) "

Then she added a caveat to the whole piece:

"Certainly, we don't want to give away all of our secrets (for competitive reasons), but we hope our response is helpful." Examples could fall into quality control methods, expert juicers, chemical analysis, production methods (like the squeezing process) and the like. Measure of quality include brix (sugar % by weight), acidity, citrus oil level, pulp level, pulp cell integrity, color, viscosity, microbiological contamination, mouth feel, and taste.

Hope this sheds some light on that delicious morning treat. I may try their new product Valencia Tropicana Pure. At this site you can experience the "see, hear and feel the flavor." Like listening to the music written specifically as inspired by the juice. Or creating the 'visual' experience yourself. I offer my own creation:

And lastly you can 'feel' the flavor by remixing the music yourself. Again, a shot of my creation:

It's worth a gander.

100HB

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Posting Anon

Q: Dear 100HB,

Why do we call an unidentified dead guy "John Doe" (or of course there's Jane Doe). I assume John/Jane are just common names, but where on earth did the "Doe" part come from???

Regards,

CSI Fan

A: Dear CSI Connoisseur,

If I were your husband I would begin to worry about being a CSI fan. Especially if you're taking notes while watching. I wouldn't want to be unidentifiable later.

But your question is an interesting one, considering the history of this term comes from one region where it isn't used any more, and is popular in another. In America John Doe is used for an unidentified person, generally a dead one because a live one could usually tell you who they are. Unless they are really old and forget, or a boxer. But John Doe can also be used in court cases where the defendant (usually) isn't know or named.

Of course we have expanded this usage to include a variety of sexes and relations: Jane Doe, and for siblings, James, Judy, etc., and children - Baby Doe. Although Precious Doe has been used for a child also (at least in one case in KC). So where do they come from?

The 100HB first turned to the local University morgue for an answer. We figured that those workers who dealt with and studied unidentified bodies may know the term's history. So please imagine the the 100HB journeying to the deep, dark dungeon of the hospital, echoing steps along the tiled, serpentine hallways. The lights flicker, a chilled wind passes and we enter through double steel doors in to the morgue. Walls of brushed, mirrored boxes each with its own occupant. Sheets lay over subtle forms, punctuated by the pungent smell of chemicals and death. Our mortician hovers over the latest customer, saw in one hand, and a roast beef sandwich in the other. Ok, not really. But you get the idea.

The morgue's take on our term's origins? John Doe was used in English law as a legal term for a familiar case study.

But is it true? Yes!

John Doe was invented in England, is now used in America (and Canada somewhat) and no longer in England. In the reign of King Edward III (mid 14th Century) John Doe and Richard Roe were two names used to describe a generic property case where the landlord Doe leases and then ejects Roe. The names do not mean anything (although Doe is a female deer and Roe is a small English deer), but they stuck. Both terms are now used in American law, and by extension to 'identify' unknown bodies. In fact the Roe in Roe v Wade is such a fictitious name.

So what do they use in England? John Smith or Joe Bloggs. However according to Dickson in What's in a Name, John Doe and Richard Roe are required in legal proceedings for the 1st and 2nd names (followed by John Stiles and Richard Miles.

And in other countries? A lot use some type of NN: nomen nescio, Latin for I don't know the name. But Fulan(o) is also common (Brazil, Middle East, etc.) and in France it is Jean Dupont.

But John Doe is also the name of the creepy serial killer in Seven, who kills according to the seven deadly sins (lust, gluttany, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride). He finishes the movie in one of the twisted endings in movie history. Much scarier than just an unknown body.

100HB

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