R E F L E C T I O N S

Just curious as to why it's called America even though he was not the first to visit.  I believe the Vikings were earlier and then Columbus.  It may be that he got things rolling with his explorations. Like in the above engraving, he "woke up" America. I'm finally back to blogging again.  I missed it.  It was over six weeks that I spent time in a hospital and then a rehab center, not for drugs or alcohol but for my neuromuscular disease flare up; my CIDP (Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Ployneuropathy).  I had episodes of wooziness, falling and violent vomiting. Six ambulance rides to the ER for hitting my head after a fall. I don't think it had anything to do with seizures but I'm not sure.  There are much worse things that could have happened so I can't really feel sorry for myself. Amerigo Vespucci, I wonder why it was not named "Vespuccia".  Was Amerigo his last name? He demonstrated that the New World was not part of ...

I'm waiting for the results of this test. Here's an explanation I found on the web: "The tilt test is a test that assesses someone’s response to orthostatic stress. Orthostatic stress is the fancy medical term for standing upright. The tilt test is also known as a tilt table test because it involves being basically strapped to a table that can tilt to different angles. A lot of the interest in tilt table tests originated from the air force. Years ago it was reported that up to 25% of those in the air force would pass out if they were in a straight upright standing position for a prolonged period of time. It was known that the tilt test could induce passing out in a subset of people and so it became a tool with which to assess people at risk for this. Nowadays the tilt test is used widely to diagnose  syncope . Syncope is the medical term for passing out. In the tilt test, patients are strapped to a tilt table. It is basically a table capable of being swivel...

NATIONAL PRETZEL DAY "National Pretzel Day is observed annually on April 26.  A bag of nice crunchy, salty pretzels or a big, warm, soft, cinnamon pretzel is the question of the day.  Either one is an excellent choice. There are a few different accounts of the origin of the pretzel.  Most people agree that it does have a Christian background, and they were developed by the monks.  According to  The History of Science and Technology , in 610 AD, “an Italian monk invents pretzels as a reward to children who learn their prayers.  He calls the strips of baked dough, folded to resemble arms crossing the chest,  pretiola  (little rewards).” Another source puts the invention in a monastery in southern France. The looped pretzel may also be related to a Greek Ring bread from the communion bread used in monasteries a thousand years ago.  In the Catholic Church, pretzels had a religious significance for both ingredients and shape....