Orange Julius - is an American chain of fruit drink beverage stores. It has been in business since the late 1920s and is noted for a particular drink, also called an Orange Julius. The beverage is a mixture of ice, orange juice, sweetener, milk, powdered egg whites and vanilla flavoring. The drink grew out of an orange juice stand opened in Los Angeles, California, in 1926 by Julius Freed. Sales were initially modest, about $20 a day (equivalent to approximately $310 in 2021 dollars). In 1929, Bill Hamlin, Freed's real estate broker, developed a mixture that made the acidic orange juice less bothersome to his stomach. Freed's stand began serving the drink, which had a frothier, creamier texture. The sales at the stand increased substantially after the introduction of the new drink, going up to $100 a day. During the 1950s and 1960s, Orange Julius was sold at a variety of outlets, including state and county fairs and freestanding Orange Julius stands. The Orange Julius was named the official drink of the 1964 New York World's Fair. In 1967, Hamlin sold Orange Julius to Al Lapin Jr's International Industries corporation, who also owns International House of Pancakes; The Original House of Pies, and others; until IHOP sold it in the 1970s. It now has hundreds of stores in malls across the United States (including Puerto Rico) and Canada, as well as in Singapore, South Korea, the Philippines and Japan. In 1987, the Orange Julius chain was bought by International Dairy Queen. IDQ, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, owns the rights to all Orange Julius stores and has expanded the chain so its drinks are offered at many of its Dairy Queen stores, called Treat Centers.

Comment: I remember when I was a kid and Louisville's first mall opened, there was an Orange Julius in there. I loved those drinks. I have since tried them at Dairy Queen and it's not the same. Or maybe it just the memory of a kid. LOL

In the old days ... 

... Today

Palmwood Wreck (was a Dutch merchant ship that sank off the coast of Texel island in 1660. It was carrying a cargo of luxury goods, such as silk, silver and porcelain. Some of these items have been recovered by divers and are on display at the Museum Kaap Skil in the Netherlands. Divers found the most fantastic and valuable objects in a shipwreck in 2014. They named it the Palmwood Wreck, after the many trunks of palmwood (boxwood) found in it. The ship, full of exclusive, unique and luxurious goods, was a merchant ship that must have been wrecked on the Texel Roads around 1650)

One of the top pieces in the collection at Museum Kaap Skil is a seventeenth century dress of royal allure, surfaced from the bottom of the Wadden Sea. The impressive silk dress was found in a shipwreck that was given the name ‘Palmhoutwrak‘ (Palmwood wreck). The precious garment is still in surprisingly good condition despite having lain for almost four centuries on the seabed. It is a unique find worldwide; hardly any clothing from the seventeenth century has been preserved.............

The textile finds which have made the Palmwood Wreck world famous include a second extremely unusual dress. Research has shown that it was probably a wedding dress. With the woven silver discs and embroidered patterns of silver thread it must have been, literally and figuratively, a dazzling dress.......................

Calling it a night..................

24 hours..............................

Qianling Mausoleum (is a Tang dynasty (618–907) tomb site located in Qian County, Shaanxi province, China, and is 85 km (53 mi) northwest from Xi'an. Built in 684 (with additional construction until 706), the tombs of the mausoleum complex house the remains of various members of the House of Li, the imperial family of the Tang dynasty. This includes Emperor Gaozong (r. 649–83), as well as his wife, Wu Zetian, who assumed the Tang throne and became China's only reigning female emperor from 690–705. The mausoleum is renowned for its many Tang dynasty stone statues located above ground and the mural paintings adorning the subterranean walls of the tombs. Besides the main tumulus mound and underground tomb of Emperor Gaozong and Wu Zetian, there are 17 smaller attendant tombs, or peizang mu. Presently, only five of these attendant tombs have been excavated by archaeologists, three belonging to members of the imperial family, one to a chancellor, and the other to a general of the left guard. The Shaanxi Administration of Cultural Heritage declared in 2012 that no further excavations would take place for at least 50 years)

This 7.5 m (25 ft) tall 'Uncharactered Stele' built to commemorate Wu Zetian is located to the east of Phoenix Gate within the Qianling Mausoleum. Unlike other tablets located at the site, it has no written inscriptions. It weighs 98 tonnes and is decorated with sculpted dragons........................

Tang court ladies from a mural in Li Xianhui's tomb. The actual murals in Li Xianhui's tomb have been replaced by replicas as the originals are now kept in the Shaanxi History Museum to better preserve them....................

FYI: From my Architecture topic folder...............................

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Calling it a night.....................................

Sorry, but I haven't been feeling well since the weekend.

Veronica Roth - (born August 19, 1988) is an American novelist and short story writer, known for her bestselling Divergent trilogy which has sold more than 35 million copies worldwide. Roth wrote her first book, Divergent, while on winter break in her senior year at Northwestern University, and found an agent by the following March. Her career took off rapidly with the success of her Divergent, with the publishing rights sold before she graduated from college in 2010 and the film rights sold mid-March 2011, before the novel was printed in April 2011. Her first two novels sold over five million copies worldwide by fall 2013, just as the film based on the first novel was wrapping up. Roth sold the film rights to The Divergent Series to Summit Entertainment. Filming of Divergent, the adaptation of the first book in the series, was started in April 2013, and the film was released in March 2014. On March 21, 2014, Lionsgate officially greenlit the film adaptation of Insurgent. The film was released on March 20, 2015. On April 11, 2014, Summit Entertainment announced that the third book, Allegiant, would be split into two films, part 1 and part 2. Former Part 1 is called The Divergent Series: Allegiant, and was released on March 18, 2016, and former Part 2 is named The Divergent Series: Ascendant, and was scheduled to be released on March 24, 2017. The theatrical release for Ascendant was cancelled in favor of it being a television film and spinoff series. The television film and spinoff series were later cancelled.

Comment: I read all three of the books in the Divergent series and enjoyed them. I saw the first two movies and was looking forward to the final two which covered the last book in the trilogy but was very disappointed when they didn't happen.

No worries, hope you're feeling better....................

Shower Curtain Effect (in physics describes the phenomenon of a shower curtain being blown inward when a shower is running. The problem of identifying the cause of this effect has been featured in Scientific American magazine, with several theories given to explain the phenomenon but no definite conclusion. The shower-curtain effect may also be used to describe the observation how nearby phase front distortions of an optical wave are more severe than remote distortions of the same amplitude. Many shower curtains come with features to reduce the shower-curtain effect. They may have adhesive suction cups on the bottom edges of the curtain, which are then pushed onto the sides of the shower when in use. Others may have magnets at the bottom, though these are not effective on acrylic or fiberglass tubs. It is possible to use a telescopic shower curtain rod to block the curtain on its lower part and to prevent it from sucking inside. Hanging the curtain rod higher or lower, or especially further away from the shower head, can reduce the effect. A (convex) curved shower rod can also be used to hold the curtain against the inside wall of a tub. A weight can be attached to a long string and the string attached to the curtain rod in the middle of the curtain (on the inside). Hanging the weight low against the curtain just above the rim of the shower pan or tub makes it an effective billowing deterrent without allowing the weight to hit the pan or tub and damage it. There are a few alternative solutions that either attach to the shower curtain directly, attach to the shower rod or attach to the wall)

2 of the more popular hypothesis.......................

FYI: From my Fun Facts topic folder

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Calling it a night............................

Tarragon - is a leafy green herb that is highly aromatic with a subtle licorice flavor. It adds a fresh, spring taste and a bit of elegance to a variety of recipes, including salad dressings, sauces, and fish and chicken dishes, and is commonly used in French cooking. Tarragon is sold both fresh and dried and is available year-round. It is a culinary herb that is known for its glossy, skinny leaves and aromatic flavor.

The most common type used in cooking is the French variety. Tarragon is an ingredient in many French dishes, including Béarnaise sauce, and because of its delicate flavor pairs well with fish, chicken, and eggs. In France, it is referred to as "the king of herbs" because of its ability to elevate a dish and is one of the four herbs in the French mixture fines herbs, a combination of parsley, tarragon, chervil, and chives. Tarragon is a perennial, meaning once planted, it will grow back every year. It is in the Artemesia genus, which includes other licorice-tasting greens like the one used in making the French aperitif absinthe. The stems are tough and woody, and the leaves are long and thin with pointed ends.

Tarragon is one of those herbs people tend to either love or hate, depending on whether they prefer the taste of licorice. But this herb has a complex flavor that brings more than just anise to the palate. It is a combination of bitter and sweet, with touches of vanilla, mint, pepper, and eucalyptus, distinguishing it from other licorice-tasting foods like fennel. That being said, the French variety is mild, marrying these contrasting flavors together to create an elegant and delicate herb.

Dried tarragon leaves

United Steelworkers (The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, commonly known as the United Steelworkers (USW), is a general trade union with members across North America. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, the United Steelworkers represents workers in Canada, the Caribbean, and the United States. The United Steelworkers represent workers in a diverse range of industries, including primary and fabricated metals, paper, chemicals, glass, rubber, heavy-duty conveyor belting, tires, transportation, utilities, container industries, pharmaceuticals, call centers and health care. The United Steelworkers is currently affiliated with the AFL–CIO in the United States and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) in Canada as well as several international union federations. On July 2, 2008, the United Steelworkers signed an agreement to merge with the United Kingdom and Ireland–based union Unite to form a new global union entity called Workers Uniting. The current International President of the United Steelworkers is Tom Conway, who was installed as President after the retirement of Leo Gerard. Rank-and-file members, as well as representatives, of the United Steelworkers refer to themselves, and are most often referred to, as Steelworkers. The use of the capitalized single word Steelworker or Steelworkers, as opposed to the lowercase two-worded steel worker or steel workers, is also an identifier of those who are part of, or affiliated with, the United Steelworkers International Union rather than being general non-union workers within the steel industry. This distinction is important in North America wherein a vast majority of the steel industry is unionized. For example, some of the most recognizable and largest companies in the business such as United States Steel (USS) and Cleveland-Cliffs, with their combined hourly workforces at facilities in North America being Steelworkers and represented by the USW, including the largest facilities on the continent, like US Steel's Gary Works in Gary, Indiana, Cleveland-Cliffs's Burns Harbor in Burns Harbor, Indiana, Indiana Harbor East and West in Northwest Indiana, and Cleveland Plant in Cleveland, Ohio, all of which are situated on the Great Lakes freshwater system. On the other hand, some steel companies, usually at facilities known as "mini-mills", like Nucor Steel and its facility in Crawfordsville, Indiana, are non-union shops not represented by the United Steelworkers)

Steelworker's headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA................

USW represents many different industries...................

OMG, while looking for a video I came across this one and the first woman in the video (Colleen) I went to Leadership Training with, and we were roommates for 2 of the 4 years we had the training.................

Proud USW member, Local 9349!! My father is also a Steelworker, having worked at a local taconite mine.

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Calling it a night..........................

Verbena - also known as vervain or verveine, is a genus in the family Verbenaceae. It contains about 150 species of annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-woody flowering plants. The majority of the species are native to the Americas and Asia; however, Verbena officinalis, the common vervain or common verbena, is the type species and native to Europe. In English, the name Verbena is usually used in the United States and the United Kingdom, whereas elsewhere the terms verveine or vervain are in use. When used alone, the terms usually refer to common verbena. Verbena is an herbaceous flowering plant, belonging to the Verbenaceae family, and may be annual or perennial depending on the species. The leaves are usually opposite, simple, and in many species hairy, often densely so. The flowers are small, with five petals, and borne in dense spikes. Typically some shade of blue, they may also be white, pink, or purple, especially in cultivars. Although verbena ("vervain") has been used in herbalism and traditional medicine, usually as an herbal tonic, there is no high-quality evidence for its effectiveness. Verbena has been listed as one of the 38 plants used to prepare Bach flower remedies, a kind of alternative medicine promoted for its effect on health. According to Cancer Research UK, "essence therapists believe that using essences can help to increase your mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. However, essences are not used to prevent, control, or cure cancer or any other physical condition."

Waterberg Plateau Park (is a national park in central Namibia on the Waterberg Plateau, 68 kilometres (42 mi) south-east of Otjiwarongo. The plateau and the national park are named after the prominent table mountain that rises from the plateau, the Waterberg (Afrikaans: Water Mountain). The Waterberg Plateau is a particularly prominent location, elevating high above the plains of the Kalahari of Eastern Namibia. Waterberg Park and some 405 square kilometres (156 sq mi) of surrounding land were declared a Nature Reserve in 1972. As the plateau is largely inaccessible from beneath several of Namibia's endangered species were relocated in the early 1970s to protect them from predators and poaching to extinction. The program was very successful and Waterberg now supplies other Namibian parks with rare animals. In 1989, the black rhinoceros was reintroduced to the area from Damaraland. The Waterberg Plateau Park is ecologically diverse and rich and has over 200 different species of bird with some rare species of small antelope on the lower hills of the mountain. Geologically, the oldest rock stratum is over 850 million years old and dinosaurs tracks were left there some 200 million years ago. The plateau was declared a National Monument in 1956)

FYI: From my Africa topic folder

Calling it a night.....................

Xalapa - or Jalapa, officially Xalapa-Enríquez, is the capital city of the Mexican state of Veracruz and the name of the surrounding municipality. In the 2005 census the city reported a population of 387,879 and the municipality of which it serves as municipal seat reported a population of 413,136. The municipality has an area of 118.45 km2. Xalapa lies near the geographic center of the state and is the second-largest city in the state after the city of Veracruz to the southeast.