Weather ~ 10-13 ~ Picture of the Day ~ Asparagus ~ Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie ~ Mike Bastian ~ United States Navy Birthday

  

Good 42º morning. 

 

Yesterday we didn't have smoke like it's been lately....

 

We topped at 94º.

 

 

10-13 is radio code for 'advise road and weather conditions'.

 

 

 

Picture of the Day

 

 

Interesting about asparagus.....

 

Why asparagus makes your pee smell...

The smell comes from the way certain chemical compounds in asparagus break down inside people's bodies.

This is why cooking asparagus in various ways does not result in the same smelly byproduct; the specific digestive enzymes that break down the compounds in the asparagus to produce the smell aren’t present until you eat the asparagus.

As to this specific resulting chemical compound that ends up causing the smell, it has long been thought that it is from methanethiol.  Methanethiol is a colorless gas which smells a bit like rotting cabbage. It is composed primarily of sulfur, but also includes hydrogen and carbon.

More recent research by Robert H. White from the University of California proposes an alternative theory.  White used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to try to identify the cause of the smell and he concluded that it was actually from the s-methyl thioesters- specifically s-methyl thioacrylate and s-methyl thiopropionate.  Thioesters, like methanethiol, are primarily sulfur based except are formed from sulfur bonding with an acyl group.

In either case, the ability of a particular person to produce the necessary smelly compound in their urine after digesting asparagus was thought to be a genetic trait unique to only some humans until relatively recently.  Recent research done in France, China, and Israel, all independently showed this is not the case.  Rather, all humans appear to produce the smelly compound, but only some humans can detect the smell; the ability to detect the smell or not is a genetic trait.  Further, according to the study done in Israel, only about 22% of people have that genetic ability to smell the odor from the urine of people who have recently eaten asparagus.

Bonus Facts:

• The presence of methanethiol in the urine of someone who has recently eaten asparagus was first discovered by M. Nencki in 1891.
• The chemical compounds which cause the smell in urine from eating asparagus can appear as soon as fifteen minutes after a person eats asparagus.
• Asparagus belongs to the same family as lilies.  Once the asparagus buds start to open, the shoots become unpalatable and woody, so typically only young asparagus shoots are used for eating, making all asparagus eaters baby killers.
• Methanethiol can commonly be found in the blood and brain of humans and various types of plant tissue.  It can also be found in various types of nuts and cheeses.
• Methanethiol is also one of the major causes of bad breath.
• Tomatoes and Asparagus are good plants to grow near one another due to the fact that tomatoes keep the asparagus beetle away and asparagus repels certain types of root nematodes that are bad for tomatoes.
• Asparagus is an extremely healthy little plant.  It contains quite a bit of calcium, zinc, magnesium, fiber, thiamin, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese, chromium, and selenium.  It also contains good amounts of vitamin A, B6, C, E, and K.

Quotable Asparagus Quote:

• “A few stems of asparagus eaten shall give our urine a disagreeable odor; and a pill of turpentine no bigger than a pea shall bestow upon it the pleasing smell of violets.” -Ben Franklin

 

Since Halloween is just around the corner and then followed by Thanksgiving... how about a Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie!  OMGOOOOD!!

 

• 1 refrigerated pie crust (or make your own)
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, divided
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
• 1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
•  

 

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Unroll pie crust and place in a 9-inch pie plate, pressing crust firmly into pie plate and fluting edges.
2. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in 1 egg just until mixed. Spread into pie crust and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat pie filling, remaining egg, and evaporated milk. Pour pumpkin mixture very slowly over cream cheese mixture.
4. Bake 60 to 65 minutes, or until center is set; let cool.
5. In a medium bowl, beat heavy cream, maple syrup, and confectioners' sugar until stiff. When ready to serve, top each pie slice with a dollop of maple whipped cream.

 

 

 

Special birthday today, Wilson High School pal Mike Bastian. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!!

 

Back in 2013 we had a Wilsonite reunion in Grants Pass.... left to right me, Mike Bastian, Joe Terror, Ron Loynds, and Linda (Waterlond) Terror.

 

 

Historically this date......

1875 – The United States Continental Congress orders the establishment of the Continental Navy (later renamed the United States Navy).

 

1792 – In Washington, D.C., the cornerstone of the United States Executive Mansion (known as the White House since 1818) is laid.

1962 – The Pacific Northwest experiences a cyclone the equal of a Cat 3 hurricane. Winds measured above 150 mph at several locations; 46 people died.

 

And births this date includes....

1915 – Cornel Wilde, American actor (d. 1989)

 

1921 – Yves Montand, Italian singer and actor (d. 1991)

 

1925 – Margaret Thatcher, English politician (d.2013)

 

1941 – Paul Simon, American singer and musician (Simon & Garfunkel)

  

 

   

1959 – Marie Osmond, American entertainer

1962 – Kelly Preston, American actress (d.2020)

   

1967 – Kate Walsh, American actress

 

 

 

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

xo Sue Mom Bobo 

On October 13th, the United States Navy observes its birthday every year. 

The United States Navy (USN) is the United States Armed Forces’ naval warfare service branch and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is currently the largest, most powerful navy in the world, with the highest combined battle fleet tonnage. The service has over 340,000 personnel on active duty and more than 71,000 in the Navy Reserve. 

With only two ships and a crew of eighty men, the Continental Navy was born on October 13, 1775. The decision of the Continental Congress set the Continental Navy on course to carry arms to the British army, not to defend against it. However, these two ships and crew represent the birth of the United States Navy.

Throughout the Revolutionary War, their importance grew. Today, the United States maintains 40 naval bases across the country, including the world’s largest Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia.

Below the sea, submarines became a part of the Navy during World War II. While experiments began in the late 1800s and during the Civil War, they did not become a large part of the Navy inventory until World War II. At that point, subs became necessary for surveillance and rescue, even though they were also armed.

With the advent of the airplane, the Naval ships became vital stations for the Airforce as well. As a result, the Navy modified ships into floating landing strips. Today, joint Naval and Airbases such as Pearl Harbor-Hickam provide the country with sea and air defense fleets. 

Celebrate with the U.S. Navy. Join Navy personnel as they celebrate their history and military heritage. Learn about naval history in the United States and around the world. Explore the various fleets the Navy uses. Celebrate a sailor you know by giving them a shout-out. 

On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress authorized the first American naval force. Thus began the long and prestigious heritage of the United States Navy. Between 1922 and 1972, the Navy celebrated its birthday on October 27th, the date of Theodore Roosevelt’s birth. The Navy League of the United States designated the date due to Roosevelt’s foresight and vision in elevating the U.S. Navy into a premier force.

The change to October 13th was seen as the more relevant date in line with the first official action legislating a navy. Since 1972, the Navy has officially recognized October 13th as the official date of its birth. 

Regardless of when the Navy observed its birth, the celebration has always been one of pride.  

Navy FAQ

Q. How many U.S. naval bases are in the United States?
A. The United States supports over 40 naval bases.

Q. Where is the largest naval base?
A. The world’s largest naval base is the Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia.

Q. Which country has the world’s largest navy?
A. Defining the largest navy in the world includes many variables – personnel, tonnage, vessels, types of vessels, and assets. If by largest you mean the navy with the most vessels, then North Korea leads. However, if you combine all the variables, the United States has the most powerful navy in the world.

My dad lied about his age, he was only 16, and joined the US Navy in WWI.