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Sunday, 01 November 2009
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Daylight Savings Time: What is the point of this?
Hopefully, most of us remembered to turn our clocks back one hour and our clocks reflect the correct time. We enjoy this change of the clock because we get an extra hour of sleep. (WOO HOO!)
But can someone honestly explain why we do this? And does everybody do this? You've got questions, we've got answers:
The history behind DST:
* The Standard Time Acts of 1918 began our clock changing. It was repealed a year later, but re-established in World War II.
* The Uniform Time Act of 1966 provided dates of the beginning and end of daylight time in the U.S. The act provided that daylight time begin on the last Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in October, with the changeover to occur at 2 a.m. local time.
* During the "energy crisis" years, Congress enacted earlier starting dates for daylight time. In 1974, daylight time began on January 6th and in 1975 it began on February 23rd.
* In 1986, a law was passed that shifted the starting date of daylight time to the first Sunday in April, beginning in 1987. The ending date of daylight time was not subject to such changes, and remained the last Sunday in October.
* The Energy Policy Act of 2005 changed both the starting and ending dates. Beginning in 2007, daylight time starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.
What a mess right? And for what? I found these reasons online.
* It shifts summer daylight to evening hours, when it can be enjoyed more. I think this is a good reason.
* It saves energy, because people don’t use their lights as much in the evening. Back when lights were the main use of energy, I think this was a bigger justification.
* It reduces accidents, because people are less likely to be driving in the dark. Hm.
And remember, Not all places in the U.S. observe daylight time. Hawaii and most of Arizona do not use it.
My head is spinning.
What do you think about DST? Do you think its useful or pointless?
Saturday, 31 October 2009
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How to use Podcasts To Learn A Language
Last month, we asked Trip Crazed fans How many languages they knew. A number of you guys knew many languages or wanted to learn new ones. Rosetta Stone packages can be pretty pricey and require lots of dedication.
Luckily, there are other options to learning a language. One new option is downloading a Podcast. They are free and available through iTunes and they are worth a shot.
How can you use a podcast to learn a language? Simple.
1. Podcasts are very simple to download. Search in the iTunes store for your language of choice.
2. If you're looking for recommendations for Podcasts, Open Culture has a great list of Podcasts.
3. Now you're ready to learn a language on the go! You can listen to episodes on your way to school, on a long plane ride or play it in your car on your way to work. -
Food War Saturday: Where to find the best Sushi?
Once again Trip Crazers, dare I say it? This could quite possibly be a messy food war. Sushi is a delicious and healthy meal to enjoy. They've made a great presence in the West, but of course, you must travel to the Far East to get some great raw fish.
Did I mention this could get messy? Here in America, sushi lounges, restaurants even supermarket bars are popping up everywhere. The sushi craze is just about everywhere! If you're living under a rock, here is a quick definition of sushi:
Sushi: Simply known as dried fish placed between vinegared rice and wrapped in nori, or seaweed. It is a work of art and can include other things inside of it, such as vegetables, fruits or even cream cheese.
My favorites?
Spicy Tuna
Philadelphia Roll
Hawaiian Roll
But where can you find the best sushi? New York City? Japan? A local spot? A fancy sushi buffet? So many questions! As a foodie traveler, I'm always on the search for great sushi. I've heard these are great cities to get sushi:
1. Melbourne, Australia
2. Honolulu, Hawaii
3. Osaka, Japan
If there is great sushi, I'll be sure to find it!
Where have you had the best sushi? What cities do you know have great sushi? -
My top three haunted cities in the world
After going through countless lists of Haunted cities in the United States, I found myself disappointed. There were some obvious cities I could agree with, but other just seemed like a space needed to be filled in a top ten list.
Many of the lists did not even includes places outside of the United States, when everybody knows there is some freaky stuff going on outside of North America.
So, I decided to make my Top 3 list of haunted cities in the world:
1. The Amityville House: Amityville, NY
Although there is a lot of controversy surrounding this story, this Long Island suburb is home to the scariest book turned film: The Amityville Horror. It is a story about the Lutz family and how their house was terrorized by paranormal activity. Thirteen months before the Lutzes moved in, Ronald DeFeo had shot and killed six members of his family at the house.
A lot of people feel this true story was just a myth. Dr. Stephen Kaplan, a ghost hunter wrote a book called The Amityville Horror Conspiracy. The book was published in 1995 and Stephen Kaplan died of a heart attack in the same year.
I am staying away from this town.
2. Edinburgh Castle: Edinburgh, Scotland
You wouldn't think Scotland would be a haunted place? Think again. It is reputed as being one of the most haunted spots in Europe. Ghosts of headless drummers, French prisoners and dogs haunt this castle.
But, this is just another haunted place right? How can it be proven? Simple, in 2001, a scientific investigation was conducted to determine the reasons to the paranormal activities. The reports included sudden drops in temperature, sights of shadowy figures, burning sensations and other strange phenomenons. Very, very strange.
3. Pudu Prison, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Built as a prison in the late 19th century, the Pudu Prison housed criminals such as drug offenders. It was also a place to administer corporal punishment by canning. Ouch.
There are rumors that the prison is jaunted. Reports of a strange Indian man walking the halls and screams have been heard where hangings had taken place. Locals refuse to be around the area or even purchase the land, which is why it is turning back into a prison after it was closed years ago. Any place where people have been killed or tortured is definitely haunted in my book.
Would you travel to any of these places?
Thursday, 29 October 2009
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Do it before you Die Thursday: Eat Escargot in Paris
Enjoying local foods is one of the rules when it comes to traveling. One should always try their best to sample local foods, rather than looking for the nearest McDonalds.Today's Do it before you Die Thursday features one of the most well known dining delicacies known to man: Eating Escargot. They are cooked land snails, usually covered in garlic and oil. They are very high in protein and low in fat, so if you're watching your calories, no worries about snails!
It is a very popular local food in Paris, France.
They did it, now would you eat escargot? If you have, did you like it?
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- Name: whereisdolce
- Gender: Female
- Member Since: 7/16/2009
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About Me
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Editor of Trip Crazed: A blog devoted to all your unique travel stories! I live, love, and breathe anything and everything related to travel. Traveling and Writing are my two passions in life. I want to see everything this world has to offer. My goal is to go backpacking sometime around 2010 so I can share my insight of the world with the world! Until then, I'll be Trip Crazed =)
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