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Sometimes democracy fails: RMS Boaty McBoatface fiasco

When a UK environment research group wanted to name their multi-million dollar vessel they thought they might ask the crowd. What could go wrong…? Some things just don’t need to be up for a vote.

Popular Mechanics Story

Not the real ship, see story for picture
Not the real ship, see story for picture

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Everybody needs a good laugh

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Everyday Things History Random Thoughts Uncategorized

A.M. & P.M. What do they stand for?

My son asked me the other day what a.m. and p.m. mean. Of course I could tell him what they mean, but what do those letters stand for. Turn’s out they’re Latin of course! My first guess for p.m. was close, “post meridian” but couldn’t come up with the a.m. A.M. is ante meridiem (a.m., from Latin, literally “before midday”) and post meridiem (p.m., “after midday”).

link iconhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12-hour_clock

Other great time related info courtesy of the US government
link iconhttp://time.gov/exhibits.html

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History Uncategorized

Restaurants appear to be a modern enterprise.

While dining out last night my 5 year old son asked where the first restaurant was, which made me wonder about where the restaurant concept originated. From what I’ve gleaned, it appears to have originated in France around the late 1700s, which makes since since ‘restaurant’ is French word. The Wikipedia entry also credits 13th century China.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restaurant