There is more to the humble Mug...

A mug is a sturdily built type of cup often used for drinking hot beverages, such as coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Mugs, by definition, have handles and often hold a larger amount of fluid than other types of cup. Usually a mug holds approximately 12 fluid ounces (350 ml) of liquid; double a tea cup. In formal settings a mug is usually not used for serving hot beverages, with a teacup or coffee cup being preferred.

Whereas ancient mugs were usually carved in wood or bone or shaped of clay, most modern ones are made of ceramic materials such as earthenware, bone china, porcelain or stoneware. Some are made from strengthened glass, such as Pyrex. Other materials, including plastic, steel and enameled metal are preferred where break resistance is at a premium. Techniques such as silk screen printing or decals are used to apply decorations; these are fired onto the mug to ensure permanence.

The oldest drinking vessels recovered by archaeologists were made of bones, they hardly had a handle and thus are not mugs.

The first mugs are related to the Neolithic Stone Age and pottery vessels which were found in China and Japan and date to about 10000 BCE.

The first pottery was shaped by hands and was later facilitated by invention of the potter's wheel (date unknown, between 6,500 and 3000 BCE).

It was relatively easy to add a handle to a cup in the process thus producing a mug. For example, a rather advanced, decorated clay mug from 4000–5000 BCE was found in Greece.

With the development of metalworking techniques, metal mugs were produced from bronze, silver, gold and even lead, starting from roughly 2000 BCE and were hard to use with hot drinks. Wooden mugs were produced probably from the oldest time, but most of them could not be preserved to the present time.

The invention of porcelain around 600 CE in China brought a new era of thin-walled mugs suitable both for cold and hot liquids, which we enjoy today.

Science

A continuousdeformation between a coffee mug and a donut illustrating that they are homeomorphic (topologically equivalent)

The mug serves as one of the most popular examples of homeomorphism in topology. Two objects are homeomorphic if one can be deformed into the other without cutting or gluing. Thus in topology, a mug is equivalent (homeomorphic) to a doughnut (torus) as it can be reshaped into a doughnut by a continuous deformation, without cutting, breaking, punching holes or gluing. Another topological example is a mug with two handles, which is equivalent to a double torus – an object resembling number 8. A mug without a handle, that is a bowl or a beaker, is topologically equivalent to a saucer, which is more evident as a raw clay bowl can be flattened on a potter's wheel.

Stylish, Narrow and tall espresso mugs are also available today.

Puzzle mugs

A puzzle mug called fuddling cups consists of three mugs connected through their walls and handles.

The inner holes in the mugs walls are designed in such a way that the mugs must be emptied in a unique sequence, or they will drain.

Another puzzle mug contains a small siphon hidden in a rod placed in the mug center. The cup holds liquid if filled below the height of the rod, but once filled above that level, it drains all liquid through the siphon to a hole in the its bottom.

The whistle mug or hubblebubble is not a puzzle but rather an amusement mug.

It has a hollow handle which can be blown through the mug like a whistle. With an empty mug, only one note was emitted whereas a filled mug produced melodious trills and warblings.

Mug derives from an English slang term for face, dating from the 18th century.

A mug shot, or booking photograph, is a photographic portrait taken after one is arrested. The purpose of the mug shot is to allow law enforcement to have a photographic record of the arrested individual to allow for identification by victims and investigators. Most mug shots are two-part, with one side-view photo, and one front-view.

mugging - assault upon a person with intent to rob, a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who appears to be able to cause bodily harm.

A person who is easily deceived or victimized:

Some exerpts courtesy Wikipedia.

The Great World Theater;

The Fourth World War

Directed by Rick Rowley. With Suheir Hammad

4th World War - taken from a speech by Marcos calling the war against globalization the 4th World War - is a brief, documentary of radical resistance to global capitalism

Despite the titanic struggles of dispossessed peoples around the world, the wealth of nations continues to reside in fewer and fewer hands. The economies of poor countries collapse under vicious IMF policies, and capitalism's global 'clubs' thrive ever and ever upward. Meanwhile, people keep struggling, ultimately downward...

To read or see the video please click here

Photo TS

A Myth; chewing 27 times;

Paella; plenty to chew;

A myth is an 'old wives' tale,' unsubstantiated, accepted beliefs.

Some studies proclaim to chew your food slowly and more then 27 times. True or false?

When people emerged from the shadows they hunted and gathered their food. There was never food in abundance. As faster they chewed and swallowed as more they could eat, because they did not know when their next food would be available. This means we have not been programmed by nature to eat slowly. We are programmed to gobble down our food. Civilisation has brought forward more refined table manners which means to eat slowly and savour the food we are eating.

Imagine the family sitting around the table eating dinner; everyone counts how many chews, no time for an interesting talk, or how was your day, no, everybody is busy chewing and counting; Who ever had this ridiculous idea?

After eating go for a walk; true or false?

Our ancestors would happily curl up, rest and sleep after their meal. Animals do not go for a walk after they have eaten; they rest.

It is programmed in us, once we have hunted, caught and eaten our food, we were tired and it was not necessary to go and hunt again, as our tummies were full.

Civilisation has changed our lifestyle, but after a good meal we still feel pleasantly tired to have a nap if possible.

Greed; Nepotism and laissez faire...A Satire;

Happily they meet and smile; nothing happened to them. Congratulate each other, how well the sandman trick works.

The taxpayers money which could have been used to build schools, hospitals, public transport, repair roads and would also have provided many with work, was used to bail out the big shots. Rubbing their well manicured hands, adjusting their silk ties, looking suave in their SavilleRow suits and handmade shoes. They can expect a huge bonus pay out for their negligence.

The lili faced executives shake hands we have got away with it again.

Politicans smile like it were their children who have got away with a little

prank.

The Group of Eight (G8, and formerly the G6 or Group of Six) is a forum, created by France in 1975, for governments of eight nations of the northern hemisphere: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States; in addition, the European Union is represented within the G8, but cannot host or chair.[1] "G8" can refer to the member states or to the annual summit meeting of the G8 heads of government. The former term, G6, is now frequently applied to the six most populous countries within the European Union (see G6 (EU)). G8 ministers also meet throughout the year, such as the G7/8 finance ministers (who meet four times a year), G8 foreign ministers, or G8 environment ministers.

Each calendar year, the responsibility of hosting the G8 rotates through the member states in the following order: France, United States, United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Canada. The holder of the presidency sets the agenda, hosts the summit for that year, and determines which ministerial meetings will take place. Lately, both France and the United Kingdom have expressed a desire to expand the group to include five developing countries, referred to as the Outreach Five (O5) or the Plus Five: Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and South Africa. These countries have participated as guests in previous meetings, which are sometimes called G8+5. Recently, France, Germany, and Italy are lobbying to include Egypt to the O5 and expand the G8 to G14.[2]

The more the merrier!

Politicians are thoroughly trained in "Sandmanship" to sprinkle enough sand into the citizens eyes to put them to sleep.

My World Tuesday;The sky of Australia;

Airport in Bourke;

Fly around the world! Click here

Billy has been very sick;

Hi Bozo; I have been very sick. I had a paralysing tick; I have been lucky and have recovered. We have to be very watchful and checking me every day.

Tick Paralysis

Tick paralysis in animals is caused by a salivary neurotoxin produced by certain species of ticks. Usually this is caused by the adult female tick during the period of rapid engorgement (days 5-7), although large numbers of larval or nymphal ticks may also cause paralysis.

Epidemiology

The most famous and dangerous tick in this respect is the Paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, of the Eastern coast of Australia, which attacks humans, dogs, cats, foxes and many livestock animals.

Pathogenesis

I. holocyclus causes reversible myocardial depression and diastolic failure, leading to cardiogenic pulmonary edema. In severe cases, increased PCV (packed cell volume) reflects a fluid shift from the circulation to the lungs. Progressive pulmonary dysfunction appears to be primarily due to edema, leading to hypoxia, hypercarbia, respiratory acidosis, and eventually death.

Removal of ticks does not immediately halt the progression of the disease, once clinical signs are apparent. Death from respiratory failure is likely to occur within 1-2 days of onset of clinical signs. Appropriate and prompt action saves ~95% of affected animals.

Treatment

In Australia, the disease commonly continues to progress after removal of ticks, and treatment is indicated for animals with motor or respiratory impairment. In cases in which an adult female Paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus, has been removed, but nevertheless clinical symptoms develop within the next 24 hours, a canine tick hyperimmune serum, also called tick antiserum (TAS), is the specific treatment against the tick paralysis. TAS should be given as early in the disease as possible; subsequent “top up” doses are not very effective. For dogs, a minimal dosage of 0.5-1.0 ml/kg, warmed up to room temperature, is given slowly intravenously.

About 5% of animals are likely to die despite all treatment efforts, especially those with advanced paralysis and dyspnea. Older animals or those with pre-existing cardiopulmonary disease are at greatest risk. For animals that recover, owners should be advised to continue searching for ticks, use appropriate preventative methods to repel and kill ticks, and avoid stressing or strenuously exercising the animal over the next two months.

Human tick paralysis

In humans, tick paralysis is most likely to be seen in children. The symptoms in humans are similar to the clinical signs in dogs, including unsteady gait, increased weakness of the limbs, multiple rashes, headache, fever, flu-like symptoms, tenderness of lymph nodes, and partial facial paralysis. Despite the removal of the tick, the patient's condition typically will continue to deteriorate for a time and recovery is often slow.

I am feeling so much better again.

I wish you a very happy birthday Sam; you look pretty cool with your rawhide cigar!

Click here for wings and paws

Sting!

East of Everything;

Drama on ABC 1.

ABC should announce if you want to watch a boring, badly produced drama watch ABC 1 on Saturday evening.

I have watched the past episodes , with little hope from the beginning, that it would get better.

This is such rubbish.

The production is bad and amateurish.

Who has written and produced such utter drivel.

I wonder who has made the decision to show this awfully boring story on ABC 1 on Saturdays.

Out of 10 I give it 1 and that is very generous.

There are such wonderful dramas or comedies produced and we are ending up with this cheap, stupid and shoddy production.