Archive for November, 2008
Question Asked: Why Do They Call It Black Friday?
The term Black Friday was first used to describe Sept. 24, 1869, when several financiers had tried to corner the gold market and the market crashed, and a depression ensued. Another panic in the financial markets in 1873 also began on a Friday.
The Great Depression was precipitated by the Oct. 29, 1929 start of the stock market collapse. But that was Black Tuesday. Another bad day for the stock market—Oct. 19, 1987—was called Black Monday.
Nowdays the term Black Friday is used to refer to the day after Thanksgiving, where many retailers have huge discounted sales, and open at the crack of dawn. The “black” part of the name, while not actually confirmed by the people who came up with the name, is supposedly describing going from “red to black” on their balance sheets.
In laymen’s terms, it’s when retailers start making a profit. And you’re helping by being out there (right now) spending your hard earned cash.
Question Asked: What Does https Mean?
When viewing a website, you may notice that the URL changes from http://www.website.com, to https://www.website.com
This generally occurs when you’re purchasing something from the website, and the owner/webmaster wants your information to be safe from hackers.
The difference is pretty simple:
http is an acronym for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. Which is used to transfer “hyper text” to your browser.
https is an acronym for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure. Which does the same thing, only it encrypts the data you input into the website.
You’re probably wondering what “hyper text” is, right? Ever heard the term HTML to describe a website? HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Langauge, which is the foundation of a good chunk of websites out there on the internet.
You may notice that in addition to the http changing to https in your browser, that your browser may also recognize the SSL certificate on the website, and display it as well. For example, on Bank of America, it will look like this (in most modern browsers):
Bank of America
This tells you that your browser has recognized that the website you’re on is the same website that’s trying to gather information from you. Generally (but not always), this means that you’re safe, and not being fooled. (For more on being safe, check out the answer to “How do I recognized phishing emails?”)
You’ll also notice that the bottom of your browser shows a little lock image, to show you’re on an https website. It would look like this:
Site lock showing you're safe
You can see that the lock is positioned next to the website that you’re on, telling you that there’s no forgery, and you’re (most likely) safe. Just remember, always double check the website you’re on, before giving them any important information about yourself, your banking details, or credit card numbers. If there’s any doubt, don’t do it. Phone in your order, drive to your bank, or visit the store you want to buy from.
Hope that answers your question.
Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. I hope you and your family have an wonderful dinner together, and enjoy each other’s company on this great holiday.
Question Asked: Where Did The Tradition Of Eating Turkey For Thanksgiving Come From?
Many believe that the origin dates back to the first Thanksgiving between the Pilgrims and Indians. It’s hard to find any hard facts online that support that theory.
Turkeys were fresh, affordable, and big enough to feed a crowd. Americans have long preferred large poultry for celebrations because the birds could be slaughtered without a huge economic sacrifice. Cows were more useful alive than dead, and commercial beef wasn’t widely available until the late 19th century. Chickens weren’t often cooked, because they were used to serve primarily to lay eggs. Venison would have been another option, especially during the 17th and 18th centuries, though it would have required you to hunt for your Thanksgiving meal. Ham wasn’t considered for special occasions. Eating turkey was also in keeping with British holiday customs that had been imported to the New World.
Among the big birds, turkey was ideal for a fall feast. Turkeys born in the spring would spend about seven months eating insects and worms on the farm, growing to about 10 pounds by Thanksgiving. Cost was an important factor for holiday shoppers, because people weren’t necessarily preparing just one meal; Thanksgiving was the time to bake meat and other types of pies that could last through the winter. Harriet Beecher Stowe, in Old-Town Folks, described making fruit pies at Thanksgiving “by forties and fifties and hundreds, and made of everything on the earth and under the earth.”
The actual act of eating turkey on a holiday, as a celebration, appears to date back to England, in 1540.
Question Asked: Where Did The Phrase ‘Tit For Tat’ Come From?
The phrase “tit for tat” is actually an adaptation of the original phrase “tip for tap”, which originated way back in the early 10th century, in Europe.
A tip was a shove, of sorts. When one man would “tip” another, he would shove another man.
A tap was a much harder hit. When one man would “tap” another, it was generally a form of punch.
The phrase is believed to have changed into “tit for tat” in the mid 16th century.
The definition, however, hasn’t changed. It still means some form of retaliation when someone does a wrong to you.
Question Asked: Why Does Orange Juice Taste Awful After Brushing Your Teeth
Great question. I’ve often wondered the same thing, though not about orange juice, but about other things.
Since your question’s specific to orange juice, let’s explore that.
The awful taste is caused by a chemical called sodium lauryl sulfate (also known as sodium laureth sulfate), an ingredient used in many toothpastes manufactured today.
Sodium lauryl sulfate acts as a taste modifier, temporarily blocking the “sweet” taste bud. Since sweetness blocks bitter and sour flavors, its absence enhances the bitterness and sourness found in the citric acid of orange juice.
Surprisingly, there are a handful of Sodium lauryl sulfate-free toothpastes on the market, that can easily be used to replace your existing toothpaste. However, heed the warning: the toothpaste itself is much more “awful” than the orange juice you’d potentially drink after you’re done brushing.