We have the urge to merge and that is what we did

 Hi, Mixed nuts has been around for a long time 12 years to be exact.  And the site has done pretty well but, I think it is time to change things up.  So I am folding the site into Candid Conversations and will be featuring interesting sites and content on Candid Conversations from this point forward.  The blog will be left open for 6 months then will be closed out.  I want to thank those who read and came back, shared and like the blog it was great to have you join in.  I look forward to seeing you on Candid Conversations.  

To see the latest uploads on Candid Conversations please visit us at the link below.

https://1on1candidconversations.blogspot.com/

Come To Canada We'd Love To See You This Summer

Canada ah yes Canada.  You know I have lived in 3 provinces, Quebec, Ontario and Alberta. Each are unique.  And there are a lot of really cool places to visit and things to do.  That said that ever present thing is COVID, yep it is still around but, things are a lot better.  

I found a website that lists all the restrictions for each of the provinces.  No hopping from site to site to find out what you can and can not do. They have some very interesting content that will get you thinking about where in Canada you want to go and what you want to do.

The site is called For Glowing Hearts and is hosted by traveldestinations.com.  Take a look and maybe you will find your ultimate summer adventure.

Feel What We Feel

 

Feel What We Feel is a site that depicts the level of destruction that the Ukraine continues to see as Russia continues it's invasion.  It shows 3 cities Montreal, New York and Toronto.  The renderings of well known landmarks CN tower in Toronto, Stade Olympique in Montreal and downtown New York are show with before and after photos of an artists conception of what an attack would look like.

The site is created by Razom a non profit organization, The Ukrainian word for together is razom and together the staff and volunteers at Razom plan and run programs designed to help people with the goal of showcasing Ukrainian skill and ingenuity.  This project is an effort to encourage donations for Ukraine with respect to humanitarian efforts.

The link to Razom itself is on Feel What We Feel site.

Apollo 10 The Mission That Saw Turds Take Flight In Space

While listening to an episode of The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week, I heard the story of some rather messy things, one of them being how poo is handled on NASA missions into space.  There are actual transcripts of an incident on the Apollo 10 flight where turds floated in the capsule.  

Yes there is an audio clip of this incident, it happened 133 hours into the flight.  You can actually get a full transcript of the mission in PDF format as well and the incidents are noted on pages 415 through 421 of the document.

Back in the early years of manned flight to space the crews on the Apollo missions used a bag that had flaps and a tab to pull the fecal mater into the bag.  The issue is that in this case the bag did not seal correctly and that meant floating fecal matter in the capsule.  Today the issue of waste management is a challenge but in this century a container that has a plastic bag with a fan in it is used to simulate gravity and pull the fecal matter in, for urination it's a tube with a fan as well.  Better but, not great.  In summation going to the bathroom in space is not as easy as one would think and in the case of Apollo 10 it led to the first poop flight in space.

Here are the links that I found that relate to this rather funny yet serious problem Apollo 10 faced.

Nasa transcript: Note you will have to go to page 415 to see the start of the incident. There is an audio feed you can also hear on YouTube.

IFL Science did an article about the errant turds, quite funny.

By the way here is the actual episode from The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week.  It features the flying fecal matter but, the actual piece is on IBS in Space.  You will find the story near the end of the episode.  

The Pandemic Is Sort Of Over, So Let's Talk About Travel, Weird Travel

The pandemic is still with us but, not like it was 2 years ago.  One of the things I am seeing is an increase in people in malls and other public spaces.  Now I am sure people want to vacation right?  Ya I know I would like to take a trip somewhere.  What is fun is exploring new places some of them are really quite well, weird.

Did you know that you can tour sewers in New York?  How about the Harry Potter Tour in London, yep that is a thing.  How about the Beijing Tap Water Museum, now there is an interesting tourist attraction.  

There are so many places to visit that are really amazing and I have couple of lists for you to take a look at to get you in a travelling mood.  

One last note, there are some that relate to going to Europe and in particular Ukraine.  Right now this is not a good idea.  Russia s also a place you want to avoid as well.  One last place I never recommend going to is North Korea.  Yes you can  actually visit the country but, that is not really a safe bet.  The story of Oto Warmbier is just one example of why this country should be avoided.

There are plenty of cool places to visit so I say explore enjoy and before you go make sure to plan well before you head anywhere.  With that check out these lists below..

Travel Triangle 59 weird places across the world.

CNN has an interesting list of places to check out.

Travel Start has it's list of 20 weird tours.

Goggle It But, Be Careful While You DO!

Google is the number 1 search engine in the world, no surprise there.  Want to find something googling it can help. Googling it can also be quite funny too.  For example farts, you can google that and get listings like 

Flatulence: Everything You Wanted to Know About Farting
https://www.houstonmethodist.org › blog › articles › oct

Oct 13, 2020 — Fun Fart Facts · Women may actually fart more than men. · Humans pass gas between 13 to 21 times a day. · Farts can be flammable, if they contain ...

Why do we fart? 10 facts about flatulence - Medical News Today
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com › articles

A fart, often known as gas or flatulence, is the buildup of gases within the small intestine from digestion and respiration. It is a normal part of how the body ...

Farting (flatulence) - NHS
https://www.nhs.uk › conditions › flatulence

Farting, also known as flatulence or wind, is normal. There are things you can do if you fart a lot or it's smelly. Sometimes it can be a sign of a health ...

Want to curse at the Russians?  Google it and you will get something like this.

Russian Swear Words - therussianblog
https://therussianblog.wordpress.com › 2012/03/01 › ru...

Mar 1, 2012 — Russian Swear Words ; 

How To Curse In Russian - Live Lingua
https://www.livelingua.com › blog › how-to-curse-in-ru...

How to curse in Russian: The basics ... 

Cursing Abroad: Russian Insults To Round Out Your Studies
https://www.babbel.com › magazine › russian-insults

Jan 23, 2020 — Cursing Abroad: Russian Insults To Round Out Your Studies · Засранец (zasranets) — · 

Sorry I am not going to add the curse words here, we are family friendly here at Candid Conversations and Mixed Nuts, but you get the idea.

You can find just about anything on Google and by the way on other search engines as well.  Some of this is funny like farts and swearing but, some of the searches are not so funny and can lead to some places you do not want to go to on the web.  Innocent search terms can open up sites that are pretty adult and in some cases get into the realm of criminal activity.  I am not going to even list these here on the blog, but they do exist.  The closest I can key in here things like BBW which stands for Big Beautiful Women. Yes you will find sites catering to a more fuller figured gal and you also get a lot of adult content.  

Searching the web can be fun, educational and certainly interesting.  I have found some very cool sites and interesting articles to read and I use searches to find my guests for Candid Conversations and this site.  There are many times I have looked into something thinking that would be a good topic only to realize that I could be getting into waters that are just too deep to go into.  Unlike a large news organization I can't go into certain subjects because of the risk involved namely law suits.  That said I would suggest strong caution when doing searches online.  Do avoid searching anything that could be linked to criminal activity.  You may not get in trouble at first for searching topics that relate to crimes but if you look up a how to or access a site with content t hat is illegal, you could end up wearing an orange jumpsuit with a prison number on it.  The dark web is not a place to hang out on.  There are lots of really bad things on it and there have been instances of people searching the dark web and hooking up with people and quite literally vanishing or being arrested.

So on that note happy searching about funny fart jokes or how to cuss out Russians and cat memes.  Stay away from things that could get you in trouble.  I googled it and yes you can get arrested for what you search for on the internet.

Mid Atlantic Accent/English

While listening to a podcast called Your Brain On Facts I heard about an accent that was invented in the early 20th century called the Mid Atlantic Accent, sometimes it's called Mid Atlantic English.  It's often heard in old radio shows and movies dating back to the 30s and 40s.  The accent was taught and along with actors of the time those who were in the upper classes at that time also learned the dialect.  

Is it used today???  Not really, unless there is a period movie that dates back to the time when it was used and has a focus on film and radio, or upper class.  If your into this sort of thing, that is languages and linguistic history I would suggest taking a look at the Wikipedia Article Mid-Atlantic Accent.  You will get a good idea of how the accent works and there are also some links to clips with actors using the accent.

Cliff T.

OMG! A site That Features A Product Called Liquid Ass

I am not a big fan of pranks, I am more a pun guy and if I were to do comedy  probably would do improv.  That said there plenty of jokesters out there that really get into doing some pretty funky things.  

One idea is to put a whoopee cushion on a chair, ha ha right.  Well now you could do that and add the smell of butt to it.  There is a company called e-hem LiquidASSets Novelties LLC, and they sell Liquid Ass.  Yep you read it correctly, Liquid Ass.  It's a product that smells well....Like poo.  How else can I describe this really. 

They also have fake poop and a few other items as well.  

https://liquidass.com/ is the website.

FYI I take no responsibility if you get slapped or busted by the cops while using this product, that is on you. LOL.

PM Boris Johnson's Dog Is A Frisky Little Guy! He Digs Legs

  

Mmm Ok this is a funny story I mean really quite funny.  Boris Johnson the PM of England has a Jack Russell - Cross Puppy that seems to be well horny.  The dog has a thing for peoples legs and it's become a bit of a concern for the PM who commented on it during an inspection of police dogs.

Ok so besides having to worry about COVID, the Queen getting COVID, Russians on the border of Ukraine now he has to contend with a dog that is kind of frisky with peoples legs.  Oh dear, the life of a leader.  

The BBC reported on the story.  It's worth noting that the dog may be under some stress or bored and not frisky at all.  But, it makes for a good ha ha moment.

Cliff T.

The Cook Trio Blog - A Blog, A Resource, A Place To Learn About Music

https://thecooktrio.com is a site I recently found while I was looking through various press release sites.  This blog has been online since 2001 and has essentially become a resource for anyone interested in music specifically rock.

The blog is called The Cook Trio and it has a strong emphasis on the guitar but you can learn about drums and bass.  It is pretty safe to say that the rock enthusiast is whom this blog is aimed at, but like I said anyone wanting to understand music can get something out this blog.  Check them out and thanks again for reading Mixed Nuts.

Here is some news Mixed Nuts is now part of the Four Eyes Freelancing line of products.  To learn more about Four Eyes Freelancing visit the site at https://cjames5a.wixsite.com/my-site.  The site is still under construction but is live.

 

Mixed Nuts is a production of Four Eyes Freelancing.  For more information about us visit our site at https://cjames5a.wixsite.com/my-site.

Infographics? Do Explain Please

Blogs, social pages, websites all have one purpose to draw audience.  A well designed one is going to bring it so to speak.  There are a lot of ways to get audience to your site.  Ads, social posts and of course word of mouth.  Another is to use a variety of tools in your content to get attention like audio and video.  There are other ways that you can get people to take a peek at your content.

One of these is infographics.  An infographic is a visual display of data. It can be a chart a diagram, or take other forms but the goal is to display data in simple to understand forms.  The infographic really helps breakdown big data so that the person seeing it gets a good idea of what the data is supposed to represent and what the creator of the data is trying to express.  The other use for infographics is to express a viewpoint on a topic.  These might be in the form of a comic or a clip art photo but the goal is straight forward draw people to the data or content via use of simple images and charts.

To give you an example I might want to show how well this blog has done in the past couple of years so I would create a report then I would export that report into an infographic.  Just for the heck of it lets do that so you can see what this looks like.

This is a chart I just created for the past 4 years.  As you can see it shows exactly what has been happening in simple form for the past 4 years on Mixed nuts.  Now here is the data in an .XL form. 

See the difference.  One is very busy the other simple to understand, though you have to admit the Excel form is more detailed.  But, for people wanting a glance the chart is the better bet.

Infographics really add life to the content and when used well will get people interested in the content, I got yours right LOL.  

Here are some resources to guide you with respect to infographics and they're usage.

PC Social: 21 Reasons For Using Infographics

Wired: You Suck At Infographics

And if you want to use infographics or other tools to help you shine a light on  your content why not look at using https://www.picmonkey.com to help you do it.

Hamshpere Virtual Radio For Anyone Who Ever Wanted To Try Radio

  

When I was in my teens I got into radio not just listening to it but wanting to use it.  I got a CB radio and played with that for a bit then at 18 I got into ham radio my first call was VE2GOG.  Ham radio eventually led to professional broadcasting in the 90's and while that did not pan out very well the ham radio thing has actually be fun to do.  

These days I do not have a station on the air but, with the help of technology I am able to use my ham radio call I have today VA3UCT and get on the air so to speak.  What Hamsphere is?  Well it's a virtual representation of the bands as we call them.  You're able to use the 160M through 70CM bands.  Now to be clear these are not the actual full bands only portions of them due to the fact that your using the internet and bandwith does cost money.  But, there  is enough space to find a spot and have a chat or connect with a station in a rare part of the world.

Here are the cool things about Hamsphere and it's apps.

1. You do not need a license to operate.

2. It's a plug and play system.  You get a radio and you get a couple of plugins to start with to use.

3. The Hamsphere apps come in PC Mac and they have a mobile version for Android and IOS.

4. The 4.0 version uses an algorithm that connects and emulates real time propagation it actually uses the data associated with https://www.voacap.com a professional tool that predicts and offers current radio propagation conditions so operators know what bands to use to make contacts.  This data is plugged into the app and gives a real time feel for what the atmosphere is doing re radio.  Very realistic.

5. You can add plugins for a fee and also get antennas to try and use.

6. You can even use the Broadcast Band and play music on the simulated shortwave band.

There is only one band not open it was added but no antennas exist for it and that is the 6M band.  2M and 70CM are much like the real bands with repeaters on them.

Yes you will see the 11M band and can use it as at one time Hamsphere offered CB calls, they do not do so any longer.  Most non ham calls begin with a number and HS in the middle like 14HS1234.  Interestingly this call 14HS1234 is real it is a French station that is not active any longer, operator is Jean.  

So if you want to give Hamsphere a go head over to https://www.hamsphere.com and register.  Yo do get a free trial and you can get a membership if you want to and start your journey on this unique form of radio.  Yes I know many hams will say this is not real radio.  But, it's pretty darn close to it.

Note the radio pictured is the one I created after registering.  It was really easy to do.

C. T.

Acorn Woodpeckers - Woody Woodpecker Was Created Based On One

As a kid I watched cartoons, ya I know most kids do that no news here.  One of them featured an annoying bird called Woody Woodpecker.  The cartoon was quite popular.  The bird it was created from is called the Acorn Woodpecker.  

The bird is found in the U.S., Mexico and further down into Colombia.  They have also been found in parts of Canada.  Acorn Woodpeckers have a call that sounds similar to a laugh.  

Woody Woodpecker came into being after Walter Lantz and his wife were on their honeymoon.  An Acorn Woodpecker kept them awake during their stay at a cabin and Lantz was not to pleased.  His bride knew he was a cartoonist and suggested creating a cartoon, Lantz wanted to 86 the bird LOL.  He spared the bird and created the cartoon which has become famous and has been around since 1940.

The Acorn and other woodpeckers are amazing creatures.  For example they have air pockets that cushion it's brain from injury and the speed they peck at is 12MPH or 19.3 KM/H I do not recommend pretending to be a woodpecker ouch.

Check out the article on Britannica.com it has some interesting facts about woodpeckers in  general.  And if you want to see cartoons featuring Woody Woodpecker just GOOOOOGLE IT.  Happy Friday! and thanks for stopping by.

Cliff T.

I Never Thought Of That - Dog VS Floor

Dogs are lovable but, they are work and there is a lot to consider when you decide or are in the process of deciding to get a dog.  Food, medical, how to deal with things like vacations.  Kids are also a factor, you want to ensure that they and the dog get along.  But, there is another factor that comes into play that a lot of people probably do not think about.  Your house, and the dog vs the floor.  Dogs can really make a mess of your flooring and some dogs do not handle certain types of flooring well at all.  So you have to do some thinking here.

The first, obviously is finding a breed that will connect well with your family and be able to handle the environment you put your cuddly pooch into.

The second is the flooring you have.  Unless you are super wealthy your probably not going to change the flooring for your dog.  Then again if you are doing a renovation you may want to consider how your German Shepard or Poodle is going to navigate the floor.  This holds true if you are selecting a dog or have one already.

So to hep out I have a few links you can check.  They discuss flooring for dogs and are pretty similar in approach but still good to review so you have some solid facts to base decisions about dogs and floors.

Life Hacker has an article that speaks to what is and is not good flooring for dogs.

Bob Vila's site also tackles this topic, The Best Flooring for Dogs of 2021 discusses flooring and dogs.

The American Kennel Club also tackles the doggie vs floor issue.  The article is aptly titled What Is the Best Flooring for Dogs and Other Rambunctious House Pets?

As always do the Google and you should find more good resources to guide you re dogs and floors, this also may help with other pets that roam the home.

Cheers see you in the next post.

C. T.