One Minute History with your Morning Coffee: What are "Minutemen" or "Who Were the Minutemen?"

They were volunteer soldiers, ready to take up arms at a minute's notice, who fought for the American colonies against the British during the Revolutionary War.  The minutemen, who were trained and organized into the militia, are most well known for the battle at Lexington and Concord, on April 19, 1775, which marked the beginning of the war.

They had been alerted to the approach of the British troops or "redcoats," by the patriot Paul Revere.  After the fighting at Lexington and Concord, which left 250 British killed or wounded and about 90 Americans dead, word spread quickly of the fighting, and the Revolutionary War had begun.




The 2015 release edition;



Manual Cast Iron Coffee Bean Grinder with Drawer - available from Amazon

I'm going through some 'draft' files this morning and saw this one in which I was apparently going to review and link to at some point in the past year but totally forgot about.  As I started to just hit delete (because I have this 'thing' about having draft posts clogging up my files and feel this overwhelming urge to purge, purge, purge!) I though; eh, just post it.  Maybe someone is looking for a manual cast iron coffee bean grinder.

I use my manual coffee grinder daily. It's not this one, but this one actually looks more sturdy and heavier than mine.  I like to use k-cups but there is a level of guilt about using them since I drink a lot of coffee!  Not only the cost (ouch!) but the little cups are filling our landfills. I allow myself a couple k-cups a day and then switch to grinding my own coffee beans and making it manually.

I have to admit, I also love the whole 'experience' of using a manual grinder.
There is something fulfilling about pouring in the beans, grinding them yourself... the aroma of the freshly ground beans is incredible.  I use them for a pour-over method of coffee brewing so I watch the hot water going over the ground coffee beans, take a deep breath - smells so good!  Then, raising the cup of coffee to my lips I inhale another breath of the freshly ground and brewed coffee before finally sipping.  OH.... it's good.  It's very good.

This is NOT my product description - it's a little hokey and cheesy (reminds me of a used car salesman) but it's how the seller listed their product so, eh. Enjoy it on that level if you can. I found through Amazon of course.
  • Tired of stale pre-ground coffee, cheap plastic coffee grinders that fall apart on you, and coffee grinders that look out of place in your kitchen?
  • Now you can save money and quickly and easily grind your own fresh and delicious coffee with the Clever Chef Manual Coffee Grinder!
  • Sick of coffee grinders with hard-to-open grounds containers that spill grounds everywhere when you try to open them? The Clever Chef Manual Coffee Grinder has an easy-to-use drawer that the grounds are collected in as they are ground.
  • The sturdy, wood and metal build gives this coffee grinder the durability you need. Measures 4.33 X 4.33 X 7 inches
  • Backed by our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee (details below in description)

Adding little graphics or images next to your name on Twitter, in your tweets (or on other social sites)

Among others, I've had these little image graphics in my draft files for years.  This morning I saw the draft file listed and thought; 
"Why didn't I ever just publish it on the site?"  
I have no idea.
I would make it easier for ME to use them (and not have to log into my site and go into my draft files) so here they are.

To use them, just highlight and copy just like you would copy text.  Paste it to your profile name or wherever you want to use it.


Pondering the "Lucy" Myth over Coffee

Molecular History Research Center - http://www.mhrc.net/mitochondrialEve.htm

"In 1987, A world wide survey of human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was published by Cann, Stoneking, and Wilson in Nature magazine. Its main point was that "all mitochondrial DNAs stem from one woman" and that she probably lived around 200,000 years ago in Africa. When the media picked up from Wilson, one of the authors of the paper, that they had found the "Mitochondrial Eve" or "African Eve", the story became a sensation."

The critics of the Eve story, saw that the mitochondrial data did not fit with the fossils in the field that show a multi-regional continuity, so they started voicing several complaints against the mitochondrial data:
  • The mitochondrial data was determined using restriction analysis rather than DNA sequencing. Restriction analysis is an enzymeatic method which can give false results at times.
  • They used African Americans rather than Africans from Africa to represent native Africans in their study. So they did not get a proper sampling of the African population.
  • They used an inferior method to build a phylogenetic tree. They used a program called PAUP which had been written to determine evolutionary relationships. However, the program gave different results when you entered the data in a different order. The answer was dependant upon the order that the data was entered into the computer. A big problem!
"Blair Hedges and his group in Penn State, found that when the data was entered in different orders, that sometimes some other part of the world was indicated as the place where Eve lived, rather than Africa."


NBC news ran this story from the AP (Associated Press) in 2009 debunking the Lucy theory: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/33110809/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/worlds-oldest-human-linked-skeleton-found/#.VsUpr-ZrmSo

"The story of humankind is reaching back another million years with the discovery of “Ardi,” a hominid who lived 4.4 million years ago in what is now Ethiopia.



Rather than humans evolving from an ancient chimplike creature, the new find provides evidence that chimps and humans evolved from some long-ago common ancestor — but each evolved and changed separately along the way."

Some details about Ardi in the collection of papers:

  • Ardi’s upper canine teeth are more like the stubby ones of modern humans than the long, sharp, pointed ones of male chimpanzees and most other primates. An analysis of the tooth enamel suggests a diverse diet, including fruit and other woodland-based foods such as nuts and leaves.
  • Paleoanthropologist Gen Suwa of the University of Tokyo reported that Ardi’s face had a projecting muzzle, giving her an ape-like appearance. But it didn’t thrust forward quite as much as the lower faces of modern African apes do. Some features of her skull, such as the ridge above the eye socket, are quite different from those of chimpanzees. The details of the bottom of the skull, where nerves and blood vessels enter the brain, indicate that Ardi’s brain was positioned in a way similar to modern humans, possibly suggesting that the hominid brain may have been already poised to expand areas involving aspects of visual and spatial perception.
  • Ardi’s hand and wrist were a mix of primitive traits and a few new ones, but they don’t include the hallmark traits of the modern tree-hanging, knuckle-walking chimps and gorillas. She had relatively short palms and fingers which were flexible, allowing her to support her body weight on her palms while moving along tree branches, but she had to be a careful climber because she lacked the anatomical features that allow modern-day African apes to swing, hang and easily move through the trees.
  • The pelvis and hip show the gluteal muscles were positioned so she could walk upright.
  • Her feet were rigid enough for walking but still had a grasping big toe for use in climbing.
  • The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics of the University of California, Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and others.


Pondering over Coffee - Kmart closings across the nation....

The business headlines this week are declaring the news of Kmart closing many of their stores across the nation.  I watch with a bit of sadness.  I don't like to see any long time companies closing down - especially companies I grew up with and were such a big part of my childhood.  And reading the list of stores being closed down bummed me out a bit. 

But then I realized...  I'm part of the problem. They are going under because people don't shop there. And?  I don't shop Kmart either!  I haven't in years.  As a matter of fact I drive past Kmart to get to Walmart.  And that particular Walmart is one I hate and can't stand to shop in... but I'd rather go there than Kmart.

And I started to wonder why that is.

When did I start to avoid shopping at Kmart?

Since I was doing dishes and cleaning the kitchen at the time, I had time to think about this.

I would say, in my adult life, I've always stopped into and at least tried to shop the local Kmart a few times in every city or state we've lived.  Which is many.  We relocated a lot due to my husbands job and promotion opportunities. 

In every city, in every state, the Kmarts were all pretty much the same and had the same 'feel'.  Horrible store layouts, awful lighting, odd department layouts, weird angles, bad product selection, extremely high prices compared to their direct competitors, an overall messy and unorganized feel to the store and bad use of space.  Somehow their stores all feel 'off' when I shop them - as if I've entered a space that is off kilter and uncomfortable and I'm constantly fighting to relax and shop. 

I don't like shopping Kmart because if feels off.  Uncomfortable. Awkward. Unorganized. Difficult. And then add in the higher prices, typically lousy selection of goods and the unfriendly employees... well, no wonder they are going under (assuming others must feel similar to the way I do).  I have always done most of my household shopping at Walmart or Target; depending on where we lived at the time and which store had a better 'feel' to it. 

Circa 1996-2000 I lived near Target and did most of my household shopping there but once in a great while would venture into the Kmart near the mall.  There are only 2 memories of that store actually.

1)  I bought my son's little 4 wheel battery operated vehicle there for his 4th birthday because they were running a sale on them at the time and beat Toys R Us by about $20. Kmart NEVER had the best price for ANYTHING and was ALWAYS higher than anyone else.  I suppose that is why I remember this is where we bought his toy.

2)  I stopped in with my Mom and tried on a light jacket... only to put my hand in the pocket and find a wadded up used tissue and a pocket FULL of used sunflower seeds.

Ah yes. Kmart memories.

The next time I shopped there was in a city in the Midwest and again...  I felt uncomfortable in their store.  The layout... the aisles... the weird angled departments they would shove into the middle of aisles so you couldn't just go up and down aisles and comfortably shop.  And the open spaces on shelves, old racking, messy shelves and product on the floors, or hanging skewered off the hangers.  Just a 'yucky' feeling. Dirty and messy and cheap - even though their prices are not cheap.

Let's fast forward!  More relocations and the most recent location with the Kmart I drive BY in order to go anywhere else.  I have stopped in about 4 times since moving here.

*The clothing selection got better - although the prices are just as high or higher than a similar item at the mall
*The departments are still weird angled and 'off'
*They divide up the store into short aisles one way, turn them at a right angle and run a bunch the other way, and then back to another area with them turned again and then boom - again.  (Compare this to Target with just 3 sets of aisles - and they run the same way - don't make you feel like you are in a labyrinth.
*Wasted space, odd angles, squished racking.
* Rude and uninterested employees
*High prices for the same comparable items at Walmart across the street
*An old 1960's feel to the overall shopping experience of the store

And now... that whole rewards points thing?  I have no idea.  But it did effect my shopping once when I was there with my college-bound daughter and found a couple items I liked but wouldn't buy because apparently there was some special price for a reward points member something-or-other which I wasn't - and I wasn't going to sign up for because 1) they don't need my personal information  2)  I don't shop at Kmart enough to care and 3) It's a Kmart for freakin sake.  Just give me good prices, good selection and make it easy for me to shop, pay and leave.  I don't want to have to become some rewards member in order to buy a t-shirt or toilet paper at a decent price.

Well...  I went back once more, when my daughter had some buy 1 get 1 free coupons for shampoo and Walmart was out.  That was the last time I was there.  I don't recall the shopping trip, but I recall the uncomfortable feeling of the store and having to be IN the store and we left... I've never gone back and that was about a year ago.


Ok, so this is NOT what I was going to type about when I sat down and started sipping coffee and typing random thoughts about Kmart.  Not at all.  I was actually going to post about my GOOD memories of shopping Kmart as a child. 

But my coffee is cold, I have a list of tasks waiting for me to do, and this post has gotten too long. 

So... maybe I'll come back later with my GOOD memories of Kmart... because I have many.  But in closing - this list via consumerist let's people know which stores are closing and when... 


April: Wicker Park, IL
May: Colonial Heights, VA
June: Wauwatosa, WI
June: Hopewell, VA
June: Schuylkill Mall, Frackville, PA
June: Greenville, NC
July: Ontario, OR
July: Mount Pocono Plaza, Mount Pocono, PA
July: Mobile, AL
July: Tulsa, OK
July: Hilltop, Virginia Beach, VA
August: Bel Air, AL
August: Bellevue Center, TN
October: Vineland, NJ
October: Atwater, CA
October: Chantilly, VA
November: Parkville, MD
November: Sturgis, MI
November: Spearfish, SD
November: Los Banos, CA
November: Davenport, IA
November: Lake Park, FL
December: Belvidere, IL
January 2016: South Burlington, VT
March 2016: Honolulu, HI
March 2016: Lutz and Daytona, Florida
March 2016: Cleveland, TN
March 2016: Canton, IL
March 2016: Daytona Beach, FL
March 2016: Covington, VA
Spring 2016: Florence, Dothan, and Prattville, AL
April 2016: Citrus Heights and Chula Vista, CA
April 2016: Ottumwa, IA
April 2016: Mitchell and Pierre, SD
April 2016: Topeka, KS
April 2016: Pocatello, ID
April 2016: Logan, ID
April 2016: Superior, WI, Virginia, MN, and Ironwood, MI
April 2016: Steubenville, OH
April 2016: Cedar Bluff and Virginia Beach, VA
pril 2016: Claypool, VA
April 2016: Milledgeville, GA
April 2016: Dublin, GA
April 2016: Richfield, UT
April 2016: Florence, AL
April 2016: Warren, OH
April 2016: Morton, OH


This Morning's News... with coffee

In this mornings news........

Suspect in Chelsea slaying could have been held by ICE






Sweden's IKEA loses right to use its own name in Indonesia




German security chief warns of Islamic State militants posing as refugees








I kind of chuckled.



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In Which Mr. Coffee and I Have a Sports Conversation about the SuperBowl (when I know nothing about the Superbowl. Or sports. Or players)

Note:  I don't do sports. I don't play them. I don't watch them. I don't care about them.

No really. I'd rather do almost anything than watch sports. Preferably read or research. 

Picture Hayden Panettiere's character on Remember the Titans talking football nonstop...  that would be me, Nicky Boone on the left (and it has been me many times as I quote;)  "I. Do. Not. Care."

So here was a portion of tonight's dinner conversation as it was just Mr. Coffee and I here tonight.

Mr. Coffee:  So, off the top of your head, without thinking about it, who do you think will win the Superbowl?
Me:  Umm. Panthers.
Mr. Coffee:  Why do you say that?
Me:  Honestly?  Because I wouldn't think of who else was in the Superbowl this year.
Mr. Coffee (shaking his head and laughing at me)
Me:  But I remember now!  Broncos.
Mr. Coffee:  yep.
Me:  Since neither of them are your team, and you don't really care either way, who do you want to win?
Mr. Coffee:  Well...  I'd like to see Peyton Manning go out on top...
Me: Is he retiring?
Mr. Coffee:  Well... no.  But he's been in the NFL for 19 years so, if they did win, I don't know, maybe he would.
Me:  Nineteen years!?  Well it's time then!  He's been in long enough.  He should retire.
Mr. Coffee: (laughing again.)
Me:  Wait.  He's been 19 years?  What is he a quarterback?
Mr. Coffee: Yes.  He's a quarterback.
Me:  Ah.  That explains it.
Mr. Coffee:  Explains what?
Me:  How he can be in the NFL and not be all broken up yet!
Mr. Coffee: Well, he's had like, 4 neck surgeries and I think has some nerve damage.
Me:  Well, then he needs to get out of the NFL.  It's time.
Mr. Coffee: He and Eli have both won superbowls already.
Me:  Who is Eli?  His son?
Mr. Coffee:  (Laughing at me yet again) No.  It's his brother.
Me:  His brother is in the NFL too!?  My gosh.
Mr. Coffee: (Laughing)  His son!?  Bah ha ha.
Me:  Why is that funny?
Mr. Coffee:  (mimicking me) "Is that his son?"
Me:  Well, it could be.  That's not even funny.  But two of them in the same family?  Yeah, they can get out of the NFL.  They've made enough money.
Mr. Coffee:  Well their Dad was Archie Manning.  He played for the Vikings from...  
(blah blah blah is what I heard because I zone out with football details and the Vikings are my husbands favorite team.)
Me: So their DAD was in it too!  So that's why both boys are in the NFL.  Their Dad was.  It's who you know.
Mr. Coffee: No... they're good!
Me:  (Give him that look)
Mr. Coffee:  No really...  well, yeah it can be who you know but no... they really are good.
Me:  Ok.  Well that's fine but it's been long enough if it's been 19 years.  Is he not quitting yet because he can't do anything else?
Mr. Coffee:  No!  He could do lots of things.  Almost any thing he wanted.  Actually, he would be a great commentator.  He's pretty funny.
Me:  He's funny?
Mr. Coffee:  Yeah.  He'd be great at commentating.

At this point I got up and started to clear the dinner dishes.

Mr. Coffee quietly starts laughing to himself and mimics me again;  "Eli?  Is that his son?"  and bursts into laughter.

Mr. Coffee:  You should have a sports talk show.
Me:  Yes! I should! 
Mr. Coffee:  That would be funny.  You talking about sports.  But it would be a popular show.
Me:  You think?
Mr. Coffee:  Yeah.  You make comments like "Is Eli Manning, Peyton's son?"  and the switchboards would sure light up.  You'd have lots of callers!

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