Earthquakes in New Jersey are Ramapo's Fault

There are earthquakes in New Jersey.

Tonight at 10:34 pm EST a 2.9 earthquake shook Morris County, NJ (around the same time, coincidentally, my dog flipped out like John Travolta in Phenomenon). The earthquake was caused by movement around the Ramapo Fault (I have lived in NJ my whole life and didn't know it existed).


According to the Earth Institute at Columbia University,

"The Ramapo Fault is part of a system of north-east striking, southeast-dipping faults, which are mapped from southeastern New York to eastern Pennsylvania and beyond. These faults were active at different times during the evolution of the Appalachians, especially in the Mesozoic when they served as border faults to the Newark Basin and other extensional basins formed by the opening of the Atlantic Ocean approximately 200 million years ago."

I can't find News 12 on my TV, so I'm not sure the extent of any damage caused by the quake, but I hope that everyone is alright.

For instructions on what to do during an earthquake, visit the FEMA website.

And the winner is...You are never more than 6 feet away from a spider

Yes! After hours of deliberation, my expert panel (I really did get other people read them...well kind of bombarded them, but whatever...) put in their votes and I can now name the winner of the "Smart people love free stuff" contest.

drum roll please...

PAUL Z!

I was honestly freaked out by this fact. Kudos for mentioning Law and Order, I'm a huge SVU fan (oooh Christopher Meloni).

A random fact -

You are never more than 6 feet away from a spider.

(Since Paul didn't provide a photo, I took the liberty of including a picture of the only spider I ever remotely liked.)

How you know the fact

Kelly and Anderson Cooper spoke about it this morning on Live with Regis and Kelly.

Regis had the day off. Also as per my research it was on some episode of Law and Order.

Proof that the fact is true:

at exactly 9:20 on January 23rd

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid959373459/bclid1842745164/bctid8877044001

also . . . .

3rd paragraph.

http://www.scienceray.com/Biology/Zoology/The-Worlds-Most-Fabulous-Spiders.114904

BUT there is more! Second place goes to...

Shana R!

Who doesn't love a good WDW fact? I feel like that is something my dad would have told me. Love it.

Random Fact: There are 11,324 triangles on Epcot’s Spaceship Earth


How I know this fact: When I was at Epcot, my family and I were walking past Epcot, and my younger brother asked, “how many triangles do you think are on that thing?” We all took our guesses, trying to see who could guess closest to the actual number. When we got home, I googled it, and found that the answer was only 1,324 more than what I guessed. For the record, I had the closest guess.


Proof: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1288966/architecture_of_epcots_spaceship_earth.html?cat=16

Andddd last but not least....third place goes to...

Lindsey S!

You can tell by the length of this post Lindsey really did her homework. "A for Effort" goes to you and your exceptional post. You make me want to go to Italy...now.

Stendhal syndrome, Stendhal's syndrome, Hyperkulturemia, or Florence syndrome- is a psychosomatic illness that causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, and even hallucinations, due to being exposed and overcome by art. Usually this art will be breathtakingly beautiful, or plentiful in one single area. The name "Stendhal" or "Florence" syndrome was coined due to this phenomenon's first and most common place of occurance (Florence, Italy), and the first person to have said to experience such an incredible sensation during an 1817 sojourn to Italy. (19th CenturyFrench author Henri-Marie Beyle or his penname- Stendhal) After his journey he completed the book- Naples and Florence: A Journey from Milan to Reggio.


Italian psychiatrist Graziella Magherini, observed and described more than 100 similar cases among tourists and visitors in Florence. The syndrome was first diagnosed in 1982.


Stendhal Syndrom has been noted or used as a plot in the following:

# Graziella Magherini. La Sindrome di Stendhal. Firenze, Ponte Alle Grazie, 1989. [1]
# Frieze Magazine Article http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/the_shock_of_the_old/
# Cameron in Ferris Bueller's Day Off may be having a episode of the syndrome in the museum scene.
# In Chuck Palahniuk's novel Diary, Stendhal Syndrome is an important element of the plot and is referenced several times throughout the book

* The Stendhal Syndrome (2007)- Staring Asia Argento, and Thomas Kretschmann Director: Dario Argento

I can personally attest to the accuracy of this Random Fact, not only through extensive research, but I myself have experienced such sensations- Heavy breathing, crying, and shaking upon seeing The Roman Colosseum, Various parts of Venice, The Palio of Siena, and the Original works of Botticelli at the Uffizi in Florence. During my 8 period study period in Firenze, I had a number of profs tell me stories of how they've seen tourists being taken to the nearby hospital because they fainted in a museum, church, or along Ponte Vecchio. Of course... for this reason the Florentines take pride in their city and can be uber-pretentious when speaking of their history... I GUESS if I could call my place of birth the center of the Renaissance and have possible familial ties to Da Vinci or Dante Alighieri, I'd be a snob too.

Thank you to everyone who participated and to my distinguished panel of judges. You are all lovely.

You can visit Encyclopedia Branigan without the blogspot

You can visit Encyclopedia Branigan without the blogspot, plus a little www. YES! It's true, we're official! Encyclopedia Branigan can now be reached at www.encyclopediabranigan.com. Thank you .blogspot.com for helping us get started, but you were really cramping our style.


To purchase your domain click your settings tab or visit GoDaddy.com.

Thanks to all the people who forgot to put in .blogspot.com for inspiring me to make this move. This is for you.

A catfish has approximately 100,000 taste buds

A catfish has approximately 100,000 taste buds -- on the outside of its body. Humans only have around 10,000 and they are all on our tongues. According to Holly Flax they have these taste buds because they taste good. I refuse to accept that as an answer as I don't like fish (unless its paper thin and deeply fried, and there must be tartar sauce) or cats (no exceptions, sorry LJ).

Throw it back!

Not only are they great at taste testing, but catfish can grow to enormous sizes. The largest catfish ever caught was the giant Mekong catfish, caught in Thailand on May 1, 2005.

I will never go swimming in Thailand. Not with Loch Ness in the water.

For more information on catfishies, click here.


This post was inspired by a Keanu Reeves movie that involved the ocean, subsequently leading me to fish facts.

The most important category of the Oscars is Best Documentary Short

There are twenty four categories in this year's Oscars. While most people watch for the Best Picture and Actor/Actress in a Leading Role, there is another category that I feel is the most important.

In 1997, "Daughter of the Bride" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short. The film, produced by Terri Randall Productions, was the story of a 66-year-old widow who announces that she is planning to remarry and the conflicting emotions of her three grown children.

That 66-year-old was my grandmother, and the man she married was Seymour.

I don't remember much of my grandfather (I was around 5 when he died) but I imagine if there was anyone he would have wanted my grandmother to end up with after him it would have been Seymour. He loved my grandmother with all of his heart and treated her children and grandchildren as his own. Not only did he care deeply about family, but he was also committed to giving back to the community.

For the last 17 years, Seymour was a part of my family, and I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to know and love him as a grandfather, and as I grew older, as a person. For the rest of my life, he will continue to live on in my heart.


This post is dedicated in loving memory to Seymour Lehrhoff. You will be missed.

UPDATE Smart people love free stuff

The deadline for the "Smart People Love Free Stuff" contest has been extended to Friday, January 30. Winners will be posted the following Monday.

Thank you,

Encyclopedia Branigan

Smart people love free stuff

Smart people love free stuff. So, since you are all so very smart (you're here!) I have decided to hold my first contest!! Yay!

I would like to see just how smart you are. To enter this contest, please send me an e-mail with the following:

1. A random fact - A duck's quack doesn't echo (it does, but this is just an example)
2. How you know the fact - I stepped on a duck once, while walking through a tunnel and it quacked, and nothing happened.
3. Proof that the fact is true - must be a reputable source, this is an Encyclopedia, I don't post lies.

Entries will be judged by an expert panel based on randomness of fact and presentation of information (please refrain from send anything vile, profane or straight stupid). Send entries to lrbranigan AT gmail DOT com, subject line "Smart People Love Free Stuff." Your entry must be in by Tuesday, January 27 at 12:00 AM EST.

The winner will not only have their fact posted on the site (with the picture of their choice) but they will also receive an official diploma from the University of Branigan and, something every good student needs...

...a Dos Equis prize bundle!

Second and third place runner ups will also have their facts posted and will receive an official certificate of participation.


This post was inspired by my 400 unique viewers, who deserved to be showered with freebies.

Romans are the reason a broken mirror means seven years bad luck

Romans are the reason a broken mirror means seven years bad luck. Romans were the first to invent glass mirrors. They believed that the mirror had the power to take a part of your soul and therefore if your appearance in the mirror was damaged, say, by breaking the mirror, then you would be as well.

Romans also believed the soul was renewed every seven years. So if you were to break a mirror, and your soul was damaged, then in seven years you would be cool beans again.

Sucks...

Personally, I am VERY superstitious. I don't pick up unlucky pennies (pennies that are tails up), I don't walk under ladders, and I get very uncomfortable when a black cat crosses my path (I don't like cats to begin with). All of these mean bad luck, but only a broken mirror means SEVEN years. Supposedly, the only thing you can do once you have broken such mirror is to wait seven hours to clean the broken glass up (not really safe) and then bury the pieces at night (glass, night, digging? Also unsafe, but so is seven years of being cursed).

Some people are just asking for it...

For more information on superstition, click here.


Thanks to the mirror I mounted on my wall for falling and inspiring this post. Thankfully, it didn't break. Maybe that is seven years good luck...hmmm.

Lifting 101

Lift - (verb) to move upward from the ground

(the following post is about lifting objects, not weights -- sorry, this won't help you get your swell on)

Sounds simple enough, but lifting heavy objects without injury is not so easy. Here are a few tips to make ensure you're able to lift that, say, TV stand and not being lifted to the hospital.

• Plan - Before you lift, make sure there is a clear path to where you are going to put your object. Make sure that if you are lifting with someone else, they know where you plan to go as well.
• Accessorize - Wearing a back brace can help when lifting heavy objects by supporting the spine and promoting proper posture. To purchase a brace, visit DocOrtho.
• Keep it close - You're body will be more stable if you lift an object with your limbs closer to your body. Balance is key. Be sure to keep your feet shoulder width apart to maintain a solid base for the lift.
• Bend at the knee, lift with the leg - Start the lift by bending at the knee with a straight back - this stance is key for preventing back injury. With the object in a firm grip, lift by extending your legs upward.

• The core is core - Use the muscles of your core (your abs) to support the back during the lift.
• Know when to say no - If you can't lift it, don't. Sometimes you need help and you will be much better off if you get some. If you don't ask for help and hurt yourself, you will just end up asking for it later when you pull your back out.
  

I know IKEA, you warned me...

If you have injured yourself, check out About.com: Orthopedics, or visit Dr. Nadelberg, chiropractor extraordinaire.

Thanks to my new TV stand and my stubborn disposition for causing the injury that inspired this post.

Painkillers should really be called painblockers

Painkillers don't kill pain, they block specific chemicals in order to make you feel as if the pain isn't there. There are two classes of painkillers, aspirin drugs and narcotic drugs and they each deal with pain differently.

Aspirin drugs (over the counter), like paracetamol and ibuprofen treat pain by blocking the production of prostaglandins, which are the chemicals that give the feeling of pain and swelling. As the level of prostaglandins in an injured area (say, an ankle) is reduced, the pain goes away.

Narcotic drugs (Rx drugs), like morphine and codeine block the chemical messages being sent from your brain to the area in pain and then alter the sensation of pain (These drugs should only be used if prescribed by a doctor as they can be very addictive).

For more information on pain management, visit WebMD.

This post is dedicated to John's ankle.

Allosaurus gives the finger but T-Rex wins the fight

Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex lived 80 million years apart, but if they were to fight (god forbid) in some Jurassic Park type disaster, T-Rex would walk away the winner. There are a couple differences between the two theropods that ensure a T-Rex victory.

Maybe not the best place to stand...

1. Size does matter... in dinosaur fights. T-Rex was much larger than the Allosaurus
2. T-Rex had a stronger jaw than it's younger cousin and could wolf down 500 lbs a time (ouch!)
3. T-Rex was more agile than Allosaurus, and would be able to maneuver around the Allosaurus' attacks

The only thing Allosaurus had on T-Rex was an additional finger, but with 30 inch arms on a 12 foot tall body, one extra finger doesn't really make a difference. It would be pretty dumb of any dino to take on the T-Rex.

For more information on T-Rex and Allosaurus, visit the Dinosaur Encyclopedia.

Shaving wont make you furrier

Shaving does not cause hair to grow in thicker. A normal strand of hair tapers a the end. When it is cut, the thicker part of the strand is exposed, making it appear thicker and courser. When hair is waxed versus shaved the entire strand is removed from the root, so the hair that grows back is tapered and feels softer and finer.

For some tips on getting a close shave visit the Beauty Bunny.

Thanks to Snake Child's "friend" for submitting this topic.

Sorry, but it's called "the Shore"

According to the Dictionary.com, a "shore" is the land that borders a sea, lake or ocean (such as the land bordering the Atlantic Ocean) while the "beach" is defined as sand or pebbles located along the shoreline (such as the sand in Seaside Heights). So technically, if you were to travel to the area of a state (such as the great state of New Jersey) that lies along the coast, you would be visiting the shore. See figure 1 below.

Fig. 1

Now, once one has arrived at the shore, it would be accurate to say you were going to visit the area defined by topographical characteristics as the beach. See figure 2 below.

Fig. 2

I know there are some who may disagree with this posting, but even the lovely folks at BennyGoHome.com call it the "Jersey Shore."

The state of Connecticut hates bowling

Well, ninepin bowling. In 1841, the state of Connecticut banned the owning of ninepin bowling lanes due to the sport's connection with gambling. In order for the clever gamblers to get around this ban, they added a pin to the game, creating the tenpin game we play today (oh, so clever).

The game stuck and is now a national pastime. According to the Brunswick website, over 600,000 kids celebrate their birthday at a bowling alley each year (technically, the correct term is "bowling center" because of advancements in the design and features of bowling alleys--oops, centers).

I myself visited a bowling center (yes center, because trapper keeper like decor makes it a center versus an alley) on a well-known birthday (hint, today). I beat my opponent 2 out of 2 with a high score of 106, very nice (haha, sorry Simon)!

Check out that form!

For more information on the history of bowling, visit the International Bowling Museum.

Happy Holidays!

A happy and a healthy to you and yours!

- Encyclopedia Branigan

Jews eat Chinese food (on Christmas) to keep "kosher"

One of the main reasons that Jews eat Chinese food on Christmas Eve (and Christmas Day. For me it's Christmas Eve because I'm a mutt, and celebrate Christmas Day with my dad's side) is because it's usually the only thing open (and it's quite delicious. I've gone to fishy feasts on Christmas Eve, and while the food was lovely, I would take Buddha's Delight over Scungilli sala any day, I don't eat legs).

Jews and and Chinese are the largest non-Christian immigrant groups the in US, thus leaving Chinese restaurants open when most others are not, and giving Jews a place to eat on Christmas.

There is another reason why Jews have a love affair with Chinese food, which dates back to the early 1900's when there were a large number of Jews and Chinese migrating into New York City. Jewish immigrants felt safe eating in Chinese restaurants where meat and dairy are rarely mixed.

Most Chinese restaurants were not kosher and often used non-kosher ingredients like piggy and fish in shells (bleh), but the Jewish immigrants were willing to turn a blind eye because they were chopped up in tiny pieces and stir fried. According to David Siegel, if they couldn't tell what it was, it was ok to eat.

So this Christmas, give thanks for Chinese restaurants, Ralpie does. After all, what would "A Christmas Story" be without a little bit of MSG?

Smart people pet proof the holidays

Every year emergency animal hospitals are packed with pets suffering from holiday related injuries. Here are a few holiday hazards to avoid to insure you and your pet a smooth season (don't end up like me, flying to the emergency animal hospital because the dog has a taste for shiny glass balls).

No ham for you dog...

• Watch out for holiday foods. Many of our favorite holiday meals are filled with fats, and can lead to pancreatitis and other side effects that you will not want to clean up.
  

• Pets love eating plants, but Christmas flora can be deadly for pets. Make sure to keep mistletoe, holly berries and poinsettias far away from your furry friend's reach.

• Oh Christmas tree! Oh Christmas tree, your ornaments look so...yummy! The bright colors and flashing lights of your tree look just like something your pets a promoted to play with -- their toys! Make sure to buy pet-safe plastic ornaments, not glass ones which can cause the pet to internally bleed if ingested (they will look just as pretty without the trip to the doggy ER). Also, be sure to tether your tree to the wall. Christmas trees can easily be tipped over, possibly causing damage to you, your pet and your pad.

• You may wait to unwrap your presents until its time to open, but your pet wont, especially if the shiny pretty package is filled with tasty treats like chocolates. Don't let your perfect wrapping job be ruined by a prowling pooch -- keep your gifts out of their paws.

If you have a holiday related pet emergency, be sure to visit your nearest animal hospital ASAP. While a late night visit might be costly (I know what I am asking Santa for this year; pet insurance), it could save your best friend's life.

Your pooch probably isn't a fan of holiday dog clothes either.

For more information, visit the ASPCA.

Tattoos, getting underneath the skin for 5,200 years

The first known tattoo was found on an iceman discovered on the Italian-Austrian border, according to an article in Smithsonian Magazine. The tattoo consisted of small dots located on points of stress on the body, leading scientists to believe the tattoos were for therapeutic purposes.

Ancient Egyptian women also rocked ink. There is a picture of some Peruvian mummy ink if you follow the link above. I would post it, but it really grosses me out. The mummy hand, not the tattoo.

However, there are many people living today with a tattoo they aren't proud of. Approximately 20% of people agree with Jimmy Buffet when he described a tattoo as a "permanent reminder of a temporary feeling." There are entire books devoted to stupid tattoos.

That will look awesome when you're 70

I'm not knocking tattoos (I have one, just one, never another. I don't regret it, I'm just not a fan of pain or losing bets), I'm just saying if you plan on getting one done, make sure it's something you really want because it could last a lot longer than you anticipate, 5,200 years longer.

The first Rockefeller Center tree was only 20' tall

The first Rockefeller Center tree was only 20' tall and was erected by construction workers. It was decorated with strings of paper, cranberries and tin cans.


Seventy six years later, this years tree stands 72' tall and weighs nearly eight tons. The ginormous Norway spruce was decorated with five miles of energy-efficient LED lights and was topped with a 750-pound star made of 25,000 Swarovski crystals (I'd say yes to anyone who gave me one of those. Who needs a diamond when you've got 750 lbs of crystal that glows?).



I recently visited the tree after attending the New York Palace Hotel's Christmas tree lighting (So beautiful!!!). My picture doesn't do the tree justice (it was raining and gross), so I recommend taking a trip in and seeing it for yourself. The tree isn't the only entertainment in the center. We had a great time seeing the angels, watching the ice skaters and the Saks Fifth Avenue Snowflake light show and meeting up with characters like Santa, Big Bird and the boys in blue...


...who informed me that people take just as many pictures of them as they do of the tree. Rockefeller Center is a tourist hot spot during the holiday season, and under the influence of the hundreds of people around me snapping their disposable cameras I was compelled to take a few shots. I am from Jersey...


For more information on the tree, visit TheTreeNYC.

Yawns are more contagious for primates who care

YAWWWNNN. All vertebrates yawn, but primates are the only ones who catch them. Back, back in the day, primates may have used yawning for social bonding, according to researchers. Now a days, a yawn is interpreted as a sign of boredom, or a good night out.



These same researches showed that people who are more empathic are more likely to be contagious to yawns.


I must be very emphatic, because I can't....YAAAWWWNNNN...stop yawning.

Yawning can also be used as a tool to see if anyone is watching you. The theory is that anyone who watches you yawn will not be able to resist yawning themselves (sorry creepers, you're caught.)



So, how many of you yawned while reading this??? Please, comment below.

Thanks to John "Snake Child" for making me YAWN all day.