Why are oranges orange? Naive answer is - due to carotene, just like carrots or fall leaves.
Why are oranges orange? Naive answer is - due to carotene, just like carrots or fall leaves.

But this question is just as stupid as "почему малина малиновая, сирень сиреневая, морковка морковная, роза розовая, зелёнка зелёная, серебро серебистое, а морская волна цвета морской волны, и.т.п

http://www.sunkist.com/products/oranges.aspx
http://www.sunkist.com/products/oranges.aspx

Labels: Oleg Zabluda

- posted by Oleg Zabluda @ 10:14 PM | permalink | | | technorati | bloglines | feedster

 
Amusing etymology
Amusing etymology

advertise/adverse from Latin ad- "to,toward" + vertere "to turn"

Compare to:

versus "to turn"
vice versa from vicis "change" + versus "to turn"

introvert "turned inside in"
extravert "turned inside out"

subvert from sub- "under" + vertere "to turn"
revert from re- "back" + vertere "to turn"
invert from in- "upon" + vertere "to turn" 
avert from ab- "from, away" + vertere "to turn"

convert/conversation from com-"with, together" (often reduced to co-)+vert

vertex "the turning point"
vortex  - variant of vertex "to turn"

vertigo "a turning movement"

version from versionem  "a turning"

vertebra from vertere "to turn"

transverse  from trans- "across" + vertere "to turn"

anniversary  from annus "year" + vertere "to turn" 

divert from dis- "aside" + vertere "to turn"

pervert rom per- "away" + vertere "to turn"

universe from unus "one" + versus

verse from L. versus "to turn". The metaphor is of "turning" from one line to another.

вращать, вертеть, свёрток, приворотное, вертикаль, верх, вертухай

Labels: Oleg Zabluda

- posted by Oleg Zabluda @ 8:33 PM | permalink | | | technorati | bloglines | feedster

 
Christmas in November: Rammstein performs "В лесу родилась ёлка!"
Christmas in November: Rammstein performs "В лесу родилась ёлка!"
Rammstein -Елка.avi

Eins
В лесу родилась ёлка!
Zwei
В лесу родилась ёлка!
Drei
Зимой и летом одним цветом!
Vier
В лесу родилась ёлка!

See also
https://plus.google.com/112065430692128821190/posts/DEwDKkPNndg

Bonus:
В лесу родилась елочка! Metal ver. )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl_Ru1mcC0k

Labels: Oleg Zabluda

- posted by Oleg Zabluda @ 2:14 PM | permalink | | | technorati | bloglines | feedster

 
On Nov 3, this sundial was apparently 1h46 min late. At 13:24, it was showing 11:40am.

On Nov 3, this sundial was apparently 1h46 min late. At 13:24, it was showing 11:40am.

1 hour is coming from Daylight Savings time (shifting apparent solar noon towards 1pm PDT)

SF longitude is 122°25′W, so local astronomical time is behind [mean] Pacific Time by 10 minutes = (122+25/60)x24h/360-8h, shifting apparent solar noon towards 12:10pm PST.

From Equation Of Time (EoT) we see that Nov 3 (day 308) is pretty close to the maximum possible value of Apparent-Mean=+16 minutes, shifting apparent solar noon towards 11:44am PST.

Net result is that the sundial should be 60+10-16=54 min behind PDT i.e. should be showing 12:30pm. Instead, it was showing 11:40am, i.e. 50 minutes actually late. 

In fact, you can clearly see that this sundial is grossly misaligned [1]. It's 30 min past apparent solar noon on that day (12:53pm PDT), but the gnomon shadow clearly falls to AM. Unacceptable. When are the federal sundial inspectors when you need them?

Other interesting dates: on Dec 25, EoT will be 0, and DST will be off, so apparent solar noon will be at exactly 12:10pm (sundial should be apparently 10 min ahead).

On Feb 12, when EoT has the minimum of -14 min, and DST will be off, apparent solar noon will be at 12:24pm (sundial should be apparently 24 min ahead).

[1] and/or has wrong gnomon angle. I need to take my compass next time and verify that it is equal to the latitude 37°.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equation_of_time
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=224&month=11&year=2012&obj=sun&day=1

Originally shared by Oleg Zabluda

Sundial is ~30 min late (don't remember equation of time for today by heart) with Marianna Dizik

Labels: Oleg Zabluda

- posted by Oleg Zabluda @ 11:07 AM | permalink | | | technorati | bloglines | feedster

 
In 1974 a competition was run in The Sunday Times, in which readers were invited to send in the most striking...
In 1974 a competition was run in The Sunday Times, in which readers were invited to send in the most striking coincidence they knew of.

The winning entry pointed out that in Edgar Allan Poe's (1809-1849) novel "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket" (1838), four men are cast adrift on their capsized ship and draw lots to decide which of them should be eaten. The loser was the sailor who had proposed the idea: the character's name was Richard Parker.

In 1884, yacht "Mignonette" sank, with four men cast adrift in a lifeboat  and discuss drawing lots to decide which of them should be eaten. One Richard Parker ended up being eaten.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mignonette_(yacht)

Also see
https://plus.google.com/112065430692128821190/posts/BKccgZueoD2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mignonette_(yacht)

Labels: Oleg Zabluda

- posted by Oleg Zabluda @ 1:58 AM | permalink | | | technorati | bloglines | feedster

 
Рабыня Изаура (Escrava Isaura) theme song:
Рабыня Изаура (Escrava Isaura) theme song:
Escrava Isaura- Tema de Abertura (completa)
Author:  Orquestra Som Livre
Song: Retirantes
Album: Escrava Isaura (1976)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escrava_Isaura_(1976_TV_series)

Everybody was watching it in fUSSR in 1987, and Elena Drozd was Isaura's spitting image.

Lyrics:
Vida de negro é difícil, é difícil com quê /2/
Eu quero morrer de noite na tocaia me matar
Eu quero morrer de açoite se tu negra me deixar
Vida de negro é difícil, é difícil com quê /2/
Meu amor eu vou me embora nessa terra vou morrer
O dia não vou mais ver nunca mais eu vou viver
Vida de negro é difícil, é difícil com quê /2/
Lê Lê Lê Lê Lê Lê Lê Lê Lê Lê

Google Translate utterly fails to produce anything legible. As was explained by our friend Vyacheslav Futorny, Professor of Mathematics in  University of São Paulo, that's because it's full of some kind of old Brazilian Negro slang.


Translation into English by Vyacheslav Futorny, May 2011.
Life of a black man is hard, too hard  / 2 /
I want to die at night killing myself
I want to die suffering if your black women let me
Life of a black man is hard, too hard  / 2 /
My love I will leave this earth, I will die
I will never see the day, I will not be alive
Life of a black man is hard, too hard  / 2 /
Lê Lê Lê Lê Lê Lê Lê Lê Lê Lê


Тranslation into Ukrainian by Oleg Zabluda, May 2011:
Життя у нiгра важке, у натурi, важке /2/
Я би краще загинув вiд кулi вночi.
Я би краще загинув, всi ви сволочi.
Життя у нiгра тяжке, у натурi, тяжке /2/
Моя любов, я покину тебе, я помру
Я свтiла більше не вбачу, я в той свiт вiдiйду
Життя у нiгра важке, у натурi, важке /2/ 


Тranslation into Russian by Oleg Zabluda, May 2011:
У негра жизнь не фонтан, в натуре, жизнь не фонтан,
У негра жизнь это полный, в натуре, полный писец.
Я лучше здохну в мученьях, так мне жить невмоготу.
Я лучше здохну под утро, чем так жить продолжать.
У негра жизнь не фонтан, в натуре, жизнь не фонтан,
У негра жизнь это полный, в натуре, полный писец.
Моя любовь, я покину тебя, я помру
Я белый свет не увижу, я в гроб попаду.
У негра жизнь не фонтан, в натуре, жизнь не фонтан,
У негра жизнь это полный, в натуре, полный писец.


Impressionist translation into Ukrainian by Marianna Dizik Nov 2012:
У нiгра доля важка, ох важка, ох важка.
У нiгра доля тяжка, ох тяжка, ох тяжка.
Я б краще вмер та не жив, нiж знущяння таке.
Я б краще вмер та не жив, нiж страждання таке.

Якби розбiйник жорстокий та поцiлив в мене,
Якби убивця лихий та позбавив мене,
Бо краще мертвому буть нiж знущяння таке,
Бо краще мертвому буть нiж страждання таке.

Як шкiра темна, для чого ти на свiтi живеш?
Лише на те сподiвайся, що нарештi помреш.
Бо гiрше смертi терпiти знущяння таке,
Бо гiрше смертi терпiти страждання таке.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaBTYH_97hs

Labels: Oleg Zabluda

- posted by Oleg Zabluda @ 12:22 AM | permalink | | | technorati | bloglines | feedster