What Would Jimmy Do?

Today is International Beer Day. Since 2013, this “holiday” has alway been celebrated on the first Friday in August. Prior to 2013, it was always celebrated on August 5.

I’ve often been asked what my favorite beer is — I’ve been to a lot places around the world and they all have their own unique beers, but choosing a favorite beer for me is easy — San Miguel. But it has to be San Miguel brewed in Manila, Philippines.

We lived fairly close to the San Miguel brewery in Manila, and they delivered the beer directly to our house. The labels were painted on the bottles and the bottles had to be returned… the brewery delivered more beer and picked up the empty bottles at our house weekly. 

San Miguel beer in the Philippines had absolutely no preservatives. Based on knowing how many bottles they had and the amount of refills of those bottles, all the bottles were recycled every three to four weeks (when we were there in the early 70s) — hard to imagine beer being much “fresher.”

The history of San Miguel traces back to 1890, when a group of Spaniards decided to open a brewery in Manila — the first brewery in Southeast Asia. 

San Miguel is available pretty much worldwide, but none of it tastes like the beer brewed in Manila. So, I’ll probably have a beer today to celebrate International Beer Day — and it may be good — it just won’t be as good as San Miguel from Manila.
— 30 —

Last we met here, we talked about the “Dog Days of Summer.” It’s said that dogs are man’s best friend, and certainly dogs have had a major impact on not just man’s evolution, but on the English language.

It occurred to me that we use lots of expressions referring to “dogs.” Usually, these expressions don’t have anything to do with a “dog,” so what’s the deal? Where did these expression come from, do they mean something, or are they just fun to say?

Dog Days refers to the hot, lethargic days of summer. I’ve often heard that it’s “raining cats and dogs,”  although as far as i can tell, there are no animals falling from the sky… when we could go to restaurants, we often got a Doggie Bag, even though we don’t have a dog. Sometimes when someone’s out of line, we say he’s gone to the dogs and sometimes it’s just better to let sleeping dogs lie, especially in a dog-eat-dog world. After a wild night out and you feel sick as a dog, sometimes the best cure is the hair of the dog and when you start to recover, you’re often dog tired. I once had a boss that everyone said that his bark was worse than his bite, but I’ve heard that a barking dog never bites, so I’m not sure what to do with that…

Young love is often referred to as puppy love and some people are said to have puppy dog eyes. Supposedly, every dog has its day, but of course to get it you have to work like a dog. Once I got in the dog house for returning a library book that was dog eared. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks and if you’re a fan of the Browns or Redskins Washington Football Team, you’re very familiar with the term underdog. And a favorite saying on Capitol Hill is, if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.

Well, that’s it — as my dad often, said, I have to go see a man about a dog.
— 30 —

I’m a big fan of warm weather, but lately, it’s been a little too warm even for me. I know — it’s that time of year, often referred to as the Dog Days of Summer. Since it’s hot out and the grass isn’t growing much, I thought today might be a good day to talk about the “dog” days of summer. 

I’ve heard the expression since I was a kid, but I didn’t know what it meant, or where it came from. I remember hearing that it just described hot, sultry days that weren’t “fit for a dog.” My grandmother believed that those hot days actually caused dogs to go mad. 

Well, in case you’re interested, here’s what I found out about the Dog Days of Summer, courtesy of the Old Farmer’s Almanac….
The term “Dog Days” traditionally refers to a period of particularly hot and humid weather occurring during the summer months of July and August in the Northern Hemisphere. In ancient Greece and Rome, the Dog Days were believed to be time of drought, bad luck, and unrest, when dogs and men alike would be driven mad by the extreme heat. Today the phrase doesn’t conjure up such bad imagery. Instead, the Dog Days are associated purely with the time of summer’s peak temperatures and humidity. 

The origin of the phrase is actually a reference to the stars, specifically Sirius — the Dog Star. Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Majoris — the “Greater Dog” — which is where Sirius gets its canine nickname, as well as its official name, Alpha Canis Majoris. Not including our own Sun, Sirius is the brightest star in the sky.

But back to the Farmer’s Almanac….
Old-timers believed that rainfall on the Dog Days was a bad omen, as foretold in this verse:
Dog Days bright and clear
Indicate a happy year;
But when accompanied by rain,
For better times, our hopes are vain. 
and…
Dog Days are approaching: you must, therefore, make both hay and haste while the Sun shines, for when old Sirius takes command of the weather, he is such an unsteady, crazy dog, there is o dependence upon him.
~ The Old Farmer’s Almanac, 1817

So we find ourselves in the hot, lethargic period of summer…. way back before air conditioning, dogs would find a cool shady spot to lie down, spending the heat of the day doing nothing, trying to stay cool. Humans did the same. Modern day air conditioning has changed that, but these are still the lazy, hazy days of summer. I like to think of them when I shovel snow….
— 30 —

“In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still.”
~Harry S. Truman
— 30 —

Back in June, I commented on an article that I’d read that discussed how the month in which a person is born determines that person’t characteristics. I mentioned that even though a lot of people don’t believe that your destiny is determined by the stars, astrology is apparently fascinating to many people. From time to time you see lists published of the most searched for words or terms on the Internet and astrology and horoscope are almost always on the list, and often near the top. 

Well, anyhow, both Claire and Dave were born in June, so I included what the article indicated would be the personal characteristics of those born in June. (You can check the June blog entries, if you’re interested.)

Since my birthday is this month, I guess it’s only fair to reveal my personal characteristics, at least according to this very scientific article, obviously written by someone very, very smart….

“ August babies have an outgoing personality and take risks. They thrive on attention and have very little self-control. Those born in August are kind-hearted and self-confident. Their loud and boisterous ways mean you will always spot them in a crowd. August babies hold a grudge but they are very easy to get along with and chat to. Those born in August have an “everything’s peachy” take on life. They love to talk and sing their way through life. Music is also a big part of August babies’ personalities. They have a tendency to daydream and are easily distracted. They resent not being trusted and possess a vivid imagination. August babies love to be loved. Studying is the bane of August babies’ existence. They are big believers in that “special someone” and long for freedom. If they feel hemmed in, August babies will rebel. They live their lives according to the motto “no pain no gain.” They are playful with a mysterious side too. Everyone considers August babies charming and beautiful. They have a stubborn streak and are curious. August babies think for themselves and are strong-willed. They are fighters.”

Well, there you have it — me in a nutshell.
— 30 —

A couple of days ago the subject here was umbrellas. After I’d hit the “send” button, I got to thinking that for the sake of completeness, I should have mentioned the parasol — a term that i remember hearing more in the past than I have recently. So — let’s talk about parasols….

Webster defines parasol as: a lightweight umbrella used as a sunshade.
I guess from that definition, a parasol is simply an umbrella that is to be used when the sun is shining and it’s not raining. That seems reasonable — I’m not sure which came first, the parasol or the umbrella… whichever it was, was it invented for a shelter from the elements, or from the sun? Parasols and umbrellas are essentially built the same — they have basically the same design except one is designed to block out the sun and the other rainy weather.

As far as I can tell, the parasol dates back to the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs and other kings or royalty — when they walked, they had a servant carry parasols to give them shade on hot days. Parasols were often intricately designed to be attractive and/or to convey power and prestige.

The first umbrellas, on the other hand, weren’t decorated in any way and were fairly bulky — not particularly attractive and not particularly easy to use. Most of the time, people would not even bother to venture out in the rain, let alone struggle with an umbrella. 

Parasols were more popular than umbrellas up until around the middle to late 1800s. As time passed, the umbrella kept being refined little by little and offered shelter to those who needed to go out in the rain, snow, or other severe weather.

Over the years, people seemed to not worry about the sun as much as they did about heavy rain or other “wet” weather conditions. In places like England, where you often have more rain than sun, the umbrella slowly began to become an every day accessory. Of course as its use increased, its cost decreased.

As a way of summary, the word “parasol” (originally from French) is a combination of para, meaning to stop or to shield, and sol, meaning the sun.
Basically, parasols are for sun protection, umbrellas for rain protection.
As a general rule of thumb, if it’s made of waterproof material, it’s an umbrella; if it’s made of anything else, cotton, lace, silk, etc., it’s a parasol

Originally, parasol handles were (and are) usually straight; umbrella handles were curved, so the umbrella could be hung up to dry. With advancements in technology and the popularity of folding umbrellas, curved handles aren’t as popular today — although they are often used on the larger “golf sized” umbrellas. 

So there you are — some things to ponder when it’s rainy — or sunny. You know what they say, the mind is like a a parasol or umbrella, it’s most useful when open.
— 30 —

The past few days, every afternoon the weather has “clouded up” and while we didn’t get much rain, we did have a few showers. It reminds me of when I first came to Washington — during the summer, it seemed like every day at just about five o’clock, it would rain, usually not heavy but enough to get you wet. These were referred to as “executive showers.”

All the government and office workers would come out of their buildings and up would go the umbrellas. I thought it was interesting that it seemed to rain just about every afternoon at the same time, but the sight of all those umbrellas was maybe more interesting.

Growing up in Oklahoma, I almost never saw an umbrella. I remember that one of my grandmothers had an umbrella, but she only used it to keep out of the sun when she was out for a walk.

The umbrella is an interesting device — the word itself comes from the Latin “umbra” meaning shade or shadow. Like a lot of things, nobody knows who invented the first umbrella — or when. A lot of people think the basic umbrella was probably invented by the Chinese more than 4,000 years ago. But there is evidence of umbrellas being use, in ancient art and artifacts, about the same time in Egypt and Greece. The first umbrellas were designed to provide shade from the sun. The Chinese first waterproofed their umbrellas using oiled, or waxed, paper and used mulberry bark or bamboo for the frames.

We must have at least ten or twelve umbrellas around the house and in our cars. Claire uses an umbrella a lot more than I do — if the rain is light or just a “shower,” i almost never use an umbrella, and I never use one to protect me from the sun.

Well, that got me to thinking…. I wonder if our “use” of umbrellas is in line with most people? After some extensive research on my part, I discovered some interesting things about the umbrella.
Worldwide, the average number of umbrellas people own is 2.4. Japan leads the world, averaging 3.3 umbrellas per person. If the data is analyzed carefully, you’ll find that people own more umbrellas in areas that average more rain.
Most of our umbrellas are black, or dark blue in color, although Claire has a couple with “patterns,” and we have at least one one golf-size umbrella that has a picture of Chief Wahoo of the Cleveland Indians. But the people of the world usually choose dark blue for the color of their umbrellas, although black is a close second in popularity. Men preferred black umbrellas, and women favored colors like red and green.
As i said, I rarely use an umbrella unless it’s raining pretty heavy — most people take out their umbrellas when a light rain starts. Interestingly enough, it appears that a higher percentage of men start using an umbrella with a drizzle than women.
Almost all of our umbrellas, except for the larger ones are folding umbrellas. That seems to be by far the most popular style, worldwide. However, in both Russia and Japan, a high percentage of people use plastic “disposable” umbrellas, something that people in most other countries shy away from.
I have no idea how much any of our umbrellas cost — many were gifts, or ‘promotions’ advertising something and some we’ve had for so long I don’t know where they came from. But you might find it interesting to know that the average cost of an umbrella on the planet Earth is $11.50, and the average number of umbrellas a person buys each year is 1.14 umbrellas. 
Over the years, we’ve probably “lost” untold number of umbrellas —it’s easy to do, often they’re left outside and if it stops raining while you’re inside, it’s easy to forget about your umbrella. Just check the lost and found section of your church, if you don’t believe me. People of the world lose an average of 4.6 umbrellas in their life. Men lose 2.3 more umbrellas than women.
The people who mind most getting wet in the rain are the English — people that mind the least are Americans. Also, people who most dislike getting wet are in their 40s. People mind less, the younger they are. 
I usually check the weather on my phone every few days — the people of the world average checking the weather forecast 2.3 time a day. People in Korea check the weather, on average, 3.5 time a day. The Japanese are close behind — they check the weather 3.4 times a day. 

So I guess that’s my tribute to the umbrella… something most of us have around, but doesn’t get the credit it deserves. I know a bunch of good jokes about umbrellas — but they usually go over people’s heads. I do remember a song from when I was younger, about letting a smile be your umbrella — I think it went something like, let a smile be your umbrella, and you’ll get a face full of rain….
— 30 —

Honestly, I’m not usually one to brag, but I’m thinking that, in this case, maybe I should. If you’ve been paying attention to the news, you know that the President for the past few days has bragged that he “recently” took a mental competence test and it was “very hard,” especially the last five questions. Now the President not only took the (very hard) test — get this — he “aced” it!!
While no one knows for sure, it appears that the test he is referring to is the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test. 

Ok — are you ready for this? — I took that exact same test. Why? Because when you get to be my age and apply for life insurance, the insurance companies not only require you to have a physical exam, they also want to be sure you’re not looney. (Maybe one reason they do this is because they can’t imagine why anyone as old as I am would want to buy a life insurance policy — unless they’re crazy.)

The MoCA screening test was designed about 20 years ago as a possible replacement for another test — the Mini-Mental State Examination, that had been widely used since the 1970s to look for outright dementia. The MoCA test is used in all 31 of the National Institute on Aging’s Alzheimer Disease Centers. The MoCA test is available on the Internet — just search for it. It’s the complete test, just like the one that I and Donald took.

The MoCA test gained acceptance because it is a bit harder that the Mini-Mental and can pick up problems that occur in the earliest stage of dementia, called mild cognitive impairment (MCI) — a sort of “everyday forgetfulness.” About 1 in 5 people over age 65 have MCI and roughly one-third of those will develop Alzheimer’s disease within five years. 

One of the things I remember from when I took the MoCA was an exercise to draw a clock with the hands pointing to 11:10. I, like the President, was complimented on being able to accomplish such a feat. My “tester” indicated that many people couldn’t do this — correctly — usually the major mistake was mixing up the hour and minute hands.

Many doctors today use cognitive screenings of some type — usually a sub-set of the MoCA questions. I have never had such a test in our doctor’s office, probably because I don’t use Medicare. Congress instituted a requirement that Medicare cover a brief cognitive screening test as part of the annual wellness exam. 

Some people simply don’t want to know if they are developing dementia, but those that do are often given a neuropsychological test much more difficult and intense than the MoCA. And doctors will repeat the test over time. These tests aren’t like PSA tests, or colonoscopies that identify issues right away and allow for a diagnosis and treatment to begin.

So — I may not be a genius, but I must be very smart, since I don’t think I missed any of the questions on my mental competence test. If you find yourself in a situation that you may be required to take the MoCA, feel free to give me a call if you need some coaching. Of course you could call the President, but with his busy schedule, it might take him a while to get back to you…. I’m just hanging around the house because of COVID-19.
— 30 —

I know we have enough controversies these days and it wasn’t my intention yesterday to start another one when I suggested that Pi Day should be on July 22 instead of March 14. Well, it seems that there is another movement afoot that Pi Day shouldn’t be either of these days, and maybe not even be celebrated at all. I’m going to stop short of calling this a conspiracy, but it’s something we should probably keep an eye on.

The traditional Pi Day looks like 3.14 for those that write dates in the month, then day format. It should be noted that this format is rarely used outside of the Americas. Pi Approximation Day, the 22nd of July, is written more in line with the European format, as 22/7.

Well, get ready for it — there are “others” that would prefer that Pi Day not be celebrated at all. They say that number, with all its decimal places, should not be given the status of having its own day. “They” say that we should replace Pi with Tau — a number that serves much the same purpose and should be celebrated on June 28, written 6/28.

At least some of this argument is based on the date format. Pi Day was born in the US where the month, then day format is used. Worldwide, by far the most popular date format is day/month/year — it is used in the UK, much, if not most, of Asia, Australia, Africa and South America. Pi Day (March 14) doesn’t work with that format, but the format does work for Pi Approximation Day. 

(In China and many other countries in south-east Asia, dates are written year, month, day. It’s possible to write Pi Day in that format since the day (14) does follow the month (3) — but, the year still comes first and so it doesn’t work quite as well.) 

So what’s the deal with this movement to replace Pi Day with Tau Day? Advocates of the Tau movement insist that Tau is the true circle constant. The (Tau) number itself is simply Pi, but doubled — to 6.28318…. the Tau community insists that makes it easier to use in many applications. The movement has created a website that explains, in detail, why the world is wrong. Try ing to convince the world that Pi is confusing and an unnatural choice for the circle constant won’t be easy — giving the Greek letter Tau its own day, much less replacing Pi Day will be a difficult challenge. The “Tau people” admit they are facing a powerful, centuries old, conspiracy that propagates pro-Pi propaganda. 

So if you’re like me, into special days — you may want to consider starting a movement in your own neighborhood to recognize June 28 as Tau Day. It may take a while, but maybe the world will come around. Until the movement really gets going, you might think about celebrating “Tau Time” (6.28 pm) on Pi Day. That time, 6.28 pm, on Pi Day, is when the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) sends out its admissions decisions over the Internet.
So this is no ∏ in the sky theory — it’s legit. And just think, if Tau Day does replace Pi Day, we get to have twice as much ∏.
— 30 —

Both faithful readers know that every year I celebrate March 14. That, of course is Pi ((∏) Day. The day gets its name from 3.14, the first three digits of the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.

But other than the fact that March 14 also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday, today, July 22, is just as important — maybe even a little more so.

Today is known (by all of us in the know) as Pi Approximation Day. The fraction 22/7 (22nd of July) has a value of 3.142857, so it has the same first three digits as Pi.

Actually both 3.14 and 22/7 are approximations of Pi, so both days should get at least equal credit and just be called “Pi Day.” In reality, 22/7 is closer to Pi than 3.14, so maybe July 22 should be the real Pi Day and March 14 be Pi Approximation Day.

I know I’ve talked about this before, but pi is important, so we should probably review…. Pi is irrational. That means the decimal expansion never ends and never repeats, so any number of decimal places we write out is an approximation. Mathematicians and purists say the exact number can written using just one symbol — ∏.

Naturally, the more decimal places we use makes any computation involving pi more precise. But how precise do we need to be? If pi is rounded to just the integer 3, the accuracy of the computation will be off by about 4.51%. So if we use the value of pi as 3 and compute the circumference of an object with a diameter of 100 feet, we will be off by 4 ½ feet. By using 3.14 as the value of pi, the accuracy will only be off by about ½ percent. If we use 3.14159 the accuracy is within 0.000084 percent. 

Some people have memorized pi to thousands of decimal places — I’m not sure what the value of this exercise is except a personal challenge, but then again they may be in a quest for eternal truth or something like that. 

So Pi Approximation Day will be a little subdued this year, but I hope you celebrate with as big a Pi Approximation Day party as circumstances allow.
— 30 —