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Fool's Errand
A fool's errand prank is a type of practical joke where a newcomer to a group, typically in a workplace context, is given an impossible or nonsensical task by older or more experienced members of the group. More generally, a fool's errand is a task almost certain to fail. Many such errands require the victim to travel some distance and request an impossible object by name; the prank will be widely known within the peer group as an in-joke, and the person they ask for the object will play along, often by sending the victim on to make the same request elsewhere. The errand is an example of a hazing ritual, through which a newcomer gains acceptance into a group. Examples * One type of North American fool's errand is the "snipe hunt". The hunters are typically led to an outdoor spot at night and given a bag or pillowcase along with instructions that can include either waiting quietly or making odd noises to attract the creatures. The other group members leave, promising to chase ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hammer Nails Smithonian
A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nail (fastener), nails into wood, to shape metal (as with a forge), or to crush Rock (geology), rock. Hammers are used for a wide range of driving, shaping, breaking and non-destructive striking applications. Traditional disciplines include carpentry, blacksmithing, war hammer, warfare, and mallet percussion, percussive musicianship (as with a gong). Hammering is use of a hammer in its strike capacity, as opposed to pry bar, prying with a secondary claw or grappling with a secondary hook. Carpentry and blacksmithing hammers are generally wielded from a stationary stance against a stationary target as gripped and propelled with one arm, in a lengthy downward plane (geometry), planar arc—downward to add kinetic energy to the impact—pivoting mainly around the shoulder and elbo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rick Sutcliffe
Richard Lee Sutcliffe (born June 21, 1956), nicknamed "The Red Baron", is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, and St. Louis Cardinals between 1976 and 1994. Sutcliffe is currently a broadcaster for ESPN. A right-hander, Sutcliffe was a three-time All-Star. He won the National League Rookie of the Year award in and the National League Cy Young Award in . MLB career Early years and Rookie of the Year Sutcliffe's first full season in the majors was 1979. He won 17 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers and was the first of four consecutive Rookies of the Year for the Dodgers from 1979– (Steve Howe, Fernando Valenzuela, and Steve Sax were the others). Although Sutcliffe did not appear on the Dodgers' roster for their 1981 World Series championship run, he was awarded a World Series ring by the team. The Dodgers traded Sutcliffe to the Cleveland Indians for Jorge Orta, a journeyman ou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal Corps, the USAF was established as a separate branch of the United States Armed Forces in 1947 with the enactment of the National Security Act of 1947. It is the second youngest branch of the United States Armed Forces and the fourth in order of precedence. The United States Air Force articulates its core missions as air supremacy, global integrated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, rapid global mobility, global strike, and command and control. The United States Air Force is a military service branch organized within the Department of the Air Force, one of the three military departments of the Department of Defense. The Air Force through the Department of the Air Force is headed by the civilian Secretary of the Air Force ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of its active battle fleet alone exceeding the next 13 navies combined, including 11 allies or partner nations of the United States as of 2015. It has the highest combined battle fleet tonnage (4,635,628 tonnes as of 2019) and the world's largest aircraft carrier fleet, with eleven in service, two new carriers under construction, and five other carriers planned. With 336,978 personnel on active duty and 101,583 in the Ready Reserve, the United States Navy is the third largest of the United States military service branches in terms of personnel. It has 290 deployable combat vessels and more than 2,623 operational aircraft . The United States Navy traces its origins to the Continental Navy, which was established during the American Revo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marvin Pipkin
Marvin Pipkin (November 18, 1889 – January 7, 1977) was an American chemist, engineer, and scientist. During his time in the United States Army, he worked on gas mask innovations. These masks were used by soldiers as well as the public during World War I for protection against chemical weapons. His innovative improvements were used through the twentieth century. In his civilian life, Pipkin invented a process for frosting the inside of incandescent light bulbs to cut down on the sharp glare, and to diffuse the light. This process had the side effect of making a stronger constructed glass envelope that held up well with ordinary handling. He went on to make many other inventions and further improvements to the light bulb. His patents were developed into General Electric's popular Soft-White bulb series that were mass-produced. He also had patents for the photo flash bulb. Biography The fourth of six children, Pipkin was born November 18, 1889, south of Lakeland, Florida in a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable energy, digital industry, additive manufacturing and venture capital and finance, but has since divested from several areas, now primarily consisting of the first four segments. In 2020, GE ranked among the Fortune 500 as the 33rd largest firm in the United States by gross revenue. In 2011, GE ranked among the Fortune 20 as the 14th most profitable company, but later very severely underperformed the market (by about 75%) as its profitability collapsed. Two employees of GE – Irving Langmuir (1932) and Ivar Giaever (1973) – have been awarded the Nobel Prize. On November 9, 2021, the company announced it would divide itself into three investment-grade public companies. On July 18, 2022, GE unveiled the brand names of the companies it will ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frosted Light Globe Screw Fitting
Frosted (stylised as FroSTed) was an American pop punk band, founded by ex-Go-Go's guitarist and singer Jane Wiedlin in 1995. The band was so-named because ''"it sounds sweet"''.''The Daily Aztec''link) The letters S and T were capitalised in tribute to ''Star Trek'', one of Wiedlin's favourite TV shows. They released one album in 1996. History Wiedlin was joined by a second guitarist, Brian Waters, Sean Demott on bass and Lance Porter (of Ex-Idols) on drums. All three men provided additional vocals. Frosted began by playing live in Los Angeles and San Francisco, before their sole album ''Cold'', co-produced with Marc Waterman, was issued in August 1996. It was not a commercial success but was well received by critics. Allmusic describes the album as ''"bright, chunky, and radio-friendly without being gooey mainstream glop"''.allmusic ( link Rachel Haden was credited with singing, while a guesting Gerri Sutyak played cello. Four songs on the album were co-written with fellow Go ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polka-dot Paint
Polka dot paint is a paint of "polka dot color", i.e., a paint which paints an object with a polka dot pattern. The paint is traditionally the subject of a fool's errand prank played upon apprentices in the decoration or construction trade, who are sent to fetch a bucket of polka-dot paint. A polka-dot paint effect has been produced in stage magic, and in the 1950s a polychromatic paint was invented which produced a dotted effect when dry. Magic tricks In the United States several magicians invented a trick in which they demonstrated painting with polka-dot paint. It was even a subject of litigation between two stage magicians, Harry Albacker and Paul Stadelman in 1950s. The defendant's defense was that the magic act is "old as the hills", and hence in public domain. Stadelman, in his turn was challenged by other magicians who claimed that he pinched the idea from the "Barber's pole paint" trick. However Stadelman claimed it was actually he who invented the barber's pole paint ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Angle Grinder
An angle grinder, also known as a side grinder or disc grinder, is a handheld power tool used for grinding (abrasive cutting) and polishing. Although developed originally as tools for rigid abrasive discs, the availability of an interchangeable power source has encouraged their use with a wide variety of cutters and attachments. Angle grinders can be powered by an electric motor or compressed air. The motor drives a geared head at a right-angle on which is mounted an abrasive disc or a thinner cut-off disc, either of which can be replaced when worn. Angle grinders typically have an adjustable guard and a side-handle for two-handed operation. Certain angle grinders, depending on their speed range, can be used as sanders, employing a sanding disc with a backing pad or disc. The backing system is typically made of hard plastic, phenolic resin, or medium-hard rubber depending on the amount of flexibility desired. Angle grinders are standard equipment in metal fabrication shops an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lobster
Lobsters are a family (biology), family (Nephropidae, Synonym (taxonomy), synonym Homaridae) of marine crustaceans. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on the sea floor. Three of their five pairs of legs have claws, including the first pair, which are usually much larger than the others. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate. Commercially important species include two species of ''Homarus'' from the northern Atlantic Ocean and scampi (which look more like a shrimp, or a "mini lobster")—the Northern Hemisphere genus ''Nephrops'' and the Southern Hemisphere genus ''Metanephrops''. Distinction Although several other groups of crustaceans have the word "lobster" in their names, the unqualified term "lobster" generally refers to the clawed lobsters of the family Nephropidae. Clawed lobsters are not closely related to spiny lobsters o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Restaurant
A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearance and offerings, including a wide variety of cuisines and service models ranging from inexpensive fast-food restaurants and cafeterias to mid-priced family restaurants, to high-priced luxury establishments. Etymology The word derives from early 19th century from French word 'provide food for', literally 'restore to a former state' and, being the present participle of the verb, The term ''restaurant'' may have been used in 1507 as a "restorative beverage", and in correspondence in 1521 to mean 'that which restores the strength, a fortifying food or remedy'. History A public eating establishment similar to a restaurant is mentioned in a 512 BC record from Ancient Egypt. It served only one dish, a plate of cereal, wild fowl, and o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
