Weather ~ Picture of the Day ~ Blue Whales ~ Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers ~ Dale Yellin ~ National Double Cheeseburger Day

 

Good 46º clear sky morning. 

 

Yesterday we topped at 97º.

 

 

Picture of the Day... saving on extra letters! 

 

 

 

 

Interesting about Blue Whales.....

 

The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal.  Reaching a maximum confirmed length of 98 ft. and weighing up to 196 long tons; 219 short tons, it is the largest animal known to have ever existed. The blue whale's long and slender body can be various shades of greyish-blue dorsally and somewhat lighter underneath.

Blue whales are filter feeders; their diet consists almost exclusively of euphausiids (krill).

 They are generally solitary or gather in small groups and have no well-defined social structure other than mother-calf bonds. The fundamental frequency for blue whale vocalizations ranges from 8 to 25 Hz and the production of vocalizations may vary by region, season, behavior, and time of day.

 

The blue whale was once abundant in nearly all the Earth's oceans until the end of the 19th century. It was hunted almost to the point of extinction by whalers until the International Whaling Commission banned all blue whale hunting in 1966. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed blue whales as endangered as of 2018. It continues to face numerous threats, both man-made (ship strikes, pollution, ocean noise and climate change), and natural (killer whale predation).

The average length of sexually mature female blue whales is 72.1 ft for Eastern North Pacific blue whales, 79 ft for central and western North Pacific blue whales, 68–78 ft for North Atlantic blue whales, 83.4–86.3 ft for Antarctic blue whales, 77.1 ft for Chilean blue whales, and 69.9 ft for pygmy blue whales.

In the Northern Hemisphere, males weigh an average 220,000 lbs and females 247,000 lbs. Eastern North Pacific blue whale males average 195,000 lbs and females 220,000 lbs. Antarctic males average 247,000 lbs and females 290,000 lbs. Pygmy blue whale males average 184,000 lbs to 218,000 lbs. The weight measured of the heart from a stranded North Atlantic blue whale was 438 lbs, the largest known in any animal.

 

A blue whale's age is most reliably measured using ear plugs. Blue whales secrete earwax (cerumen) throughout their lives, forming long, multilayered plugs. Each deposited light and dark layer (lamina) indicates a switch between fasting during migration and feeding. As one set is laid down per year, the number of layers is an indicator of age. The maximum age of a pygmy blue whale determined this way is 73 years. Before the ear plug aging method, layers in baleen plates were used; however, these wear down and are not as reliable. The blue whale's ovaries form a permanent record of the number of ovulations (or perhaps pregnancies), in the form of corpora albicantia—fibrous masses that are permanent scars and were once used as an indication of age. In a female pygmy blue whale, one corpus albicans is formed on average every 2.6 years.

 

^{The blue whale's diet consists almost exclusively of euphausiids (krill). An adult blue whale can eat up to 40 million krill in a day.}

Blue whales have been observed near Magdalena Bay (along the western coast of Baja California, Mexico) feeding on pelagic red crabs. However, recent observations or fecal samples have not confirmed this. Other accidental or opportunistic consumption of copepods and amphipods have been documented. Blue whales feed on krill at the surface and depths greater than 328 ft, following their prey's 24 hour vertical migration through the water column.

 

^{A blue whale's heart is so big you could swim through it's arteries! A blue whale's heart is as big as a car.}

 

^{If you want to read a lot more, go,  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_whale}

 

 

 

 

From Mr. Food

 

Bell peppers take center-stage in our healthier-for-you Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers. Each bell pepper is stuffed with just the right amount of cheesy goodness and Italian seasoning to leave you feeling down-right satisfied.

•  
• 1 cup cooked whole grain rice
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 green bell peppers
• 1/4 cup water

 

1. Preheat oven to 375º.
2. In a large bowl, combine rice, onion, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and black pepper; mix well.
3. Cut off bell pepper tops and remove seeds. Evenly spoon rice mixture into each bell pepper and place in an 8- x 8-inch square baking dish. Add water to baking dish and cover.
4. Bake 25 minutes, uncover, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese, and bake 8 to 10 more minutes, or until peppers are fork-tender.

 

 

 

Special birthday today.... Dale Yellin (LASD Motors ret) is celebrating. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DALE! xo

 

 

 

Historically this date....

 

1789 – The United States Department of State is established (formerly known as the "Department of Foreign Affairs").

1935 – The Nuremberg Laws deprive German Jews of citizenship.

1935 – Nazi Germany adopts a new national flag with the swastika.

1959 – Nikita Khrushchev becomes the first Soviet leader to visit the United States.

1966 – U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, responding to a sniper attack at the University of Texas at Austin, writes a letter to Congress urging the enactment of gun control legislation.

1981 – The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approves Sandra Day O'Connor to become the first female justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

 

And births this date include....

1857 – William Howard Taft, 27th President of the United States and 10th Chief Justice of the United States (d. 1930)

 

 

 

 

 

 

1890 – Agatha Christie, English writer (d. 1976)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1922 – Jackie Cooper, American actor and director (d. 2011)

 

 

1940 – Merlin Olsen, American football player and actor (d. 2010)

 

1946 – Tommy Lee Jones, American actor

 

 

1961 – Dan Marino, American football player

 

 

1984 – Prince Harry of Wales, UK royalty

  

 

 

 

All I know. Nuff said. Have a good Wednesday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo

 

One of America’s favorites, National Double Cheeseburger Day recognizes a food icon savored across the United States.

Hamburger.  Seasoned ground beef, grilled and placed between two slices of bread or a bun. Top with sauteed onions, peppers, pickles, sliced onions, and cheese. Add condiments such as ketchup, mustard, or mayo. Any one of these combinations would create a modern American version a hamburger.

Now, double the patties and the cheese. The celebration requires it.

While the day is about the double cheeseburger, that doesn’t mean you can’t add your favorite toppings. When it comes to adding some tanginess to a burger, a few ingredients never fail. Goat cheese brightens a burger every time. But if you’re looking for a crispness, too, add some creamy coleslaw instead. Another option in this category is the reliable tartar sauce.

If you like to bring the heat, you can look to your cheeses. Pepper jack is a mild way of adding some spice. However, if you prefer to test the limits, fresh sliced jalapenos or habaneros will also do the trick.

It is most likely that the hamburger sandwich first appeared in the 19th or early 20th centuries, but there is much controversy over its origin. Over the years, the hamburger has become a culinary icon in the United States.

And Americans love their burgers! Restaurants dedicated to making them just right have been in business for generations. Even those who refrain from red meat don’t hesitate to find a way to enjoy a juicy burger. Whether the burger is charbroiled, grilled or barely kisses the heat, there’s a flavor for you.

So when something this delicious exists, double it! Then celebrate it!