MffnMan

They say a rolling stone gathers no moss. This saying does not depict a lack of accumulation as most would assume, its all about momentum.

16 reads

Dislocation

I wish for a better connection.

In a society where each interraction is filtered through the lens of social media or digitalization of some kind, we have forgotten how to communicate. We live our lives seeking the best software, hardware, services, utilities, and devices that promise to give us the 'best connection.' We built our lives around this idea with constant innovation: 3G, 4G, LTE, 5G, Mbps. It never ends. When will we see the seemingly harmless oroborous of digital dedication as the self-destructive cycle it truly is? Families have increased trouble connecting with eachother, bourne of a lack of communication. We think that communication is the same thing as interraction, we send messages to our friends or family while in the same room.

When was the last time you spent a day without looking at a screen?

Challenge

Give me a good tid-bit

Lemmie hear something interesting, odd, or just cool. Also, tell me how you know that nugget of what may be little known facts. Keep it rated PG, please. Short and simple is great- or a bit longer with a story is always satisfying as well. The fact must be something you already knew... no asking uncle google for help... be honest fellow wordsmiths! Start your post with 'Did you know...' and then free type that knowledgeable little crumble. If I did not know your little known fact, I may drop ya a buck or two. :D I will go first to set the bar. Did you know... cashews are not actually a nut? They grow on a tree and produce fruit that sort of resembles a colored pepper (or capsaicin if you are not in the US) and on the fruit grows what people THINK is a nut, but it isn't. A quick google search can take you to a fantastic photo. I learned this from trying to tell my Gram why cashews cost more than peanuts and why there was never 'heavy cashew' in the mixed nuts she was so fond of. :)

MffnMan

23 reads

What is in your pantry?

Did you know that several of the foods we use every day are the product of selective breeding, and did not exist the way we know them as few as one hundred years ago? Take carrots, watermelons, and bananas for example.

When you think of a carrot, you may think of an animated bunny, or the rumors that they help with eyesight, but what do you truly know about them? Well, one hundred years ago the iconic orange carrot available in your local supermarket did not exist. Orange carrots are the result of selective breeding with the intent of producing a uniform product. Carrots were originally white or purple and often had more than one root.

Watermelons originated in Africa. They were named, and prized, for their high water content. They contain an enzyme which fortifies your body against heat stroke, and they used to taste horrible! The juicy and sweet watermelon flavor you have come to love is also the result of selective breeding.

Bananas are also a genetic variant of a recent ancestor plant. The strain that was commonly available sixty years ago went extinct, it was also the banana that was the basis for the artificial flavoring. Artificial banana flavoring still tastes like a banana, just not one you can buy today!

What food is next?