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TIL Thread

Today I learned that vodka is distilled basically as moonshine and then watered down to create drinkability.

Tomorrow I will learn if the justice system follows the law or if we go to jail.
Vodka is unique amongst distilled beverages. First, the translation of Vodka is "little water" as it looks like water and is served in little glasses.

But the goal in distilling Vodka is different than the goal when distilling anything else. With whiskey you hope to have a good whiskey flavor, enhanced by the barrel it is aged in. If it doesn't taste like whiskey it isn't good whiskey. If you make Tequila, you want the flavor of agave and the vessel it is aged in. If Tequila doesn't taste like Tequila it isn't good Tequila. Rum, goes without saying, the vessel it matures in is vital to great Rum flavor. Gin is infused with various spices, herbs. etc. That's what sets ordinary Gin apart from the best.

Vodka is supposed to taste like "little water." The LESS flavor Vodka has the better the Vodka. That's why they triple filter it in charcoal and so fourth. The more neutral the flavor the higher the quality.

Vodka is the light lager of the distilled beverage world. Just make it taste like nothing and you're golden.
 
Me, too.



Agreed.



Well, it just came out yesterday, didn't it?

For what it's worth, here's a statement by the church from earlier today:

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https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/arti...dent-alleged-abuse-joseph-l-bishop-march-2018

In response to questions from multiple media outlets about allegations that a former Church mission president committed sexual assault, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released the following statement Tuesday, March 20, 2018.

These allegations are very serious and deeply disturbing. If the allegations of sexual assault are true, it would be a tragic betrayal of our standards and would result in action by the Church to formally discipline any member who was guilty of such behavior, especially someone in a position of trust.

This matter was brought to the attention of the Church in 2010, when this former Church member, who served briefly as a missionary in 1984, told leaders of the Pleasant Grove Utah West Stake that she had been sexually assaulted by the president of the Provo Missionary Training Center, Joseph Bishop, 25 years earlier. They listened carefully to the claims being made and then this was immediately reported to the Pleasant Grove Police Department, and the police interviewed her at that time. The Church does not know what she said in that interview, but the Church received no further communication from the police concerning the matter.

At the same time, the Church referred these allegations to the local ecclesiastical leaders of Joseph Bishop. Those leaders met with Mr. Bishop, who denied the allegations. Unable to verify the allegations, they did not impose any formal Church discipline on Mr. Bishop at that time.

The matter resurfaced in 2016 when the same individual contacted a stake president in Pueblo, Colorado, and then again a few weeks ago in January 2018, when the Church was contacted by a lawyer representing her. He provided a copy of a recording that she had made of a conversation between her and 85-year-old Joseph Bishop in December 2017. Since that time, the Church has engaged in an investigation of this individual’s allegations. In the course of that investigation, both she and Mr. Bishop have been interviewed by outside legal counsel. Not surprisingly, the stories, timelines and recollections of those involved are dramatically different. This woman reaffirmed her allegations, and Mr. Bishop has again denied them. We have no record of an interview between Elder Carlos E. Asay (1926-1999) and this individual.

The Church, as a religious organization, does not have the investigative tools available to law enforcement agencies. Nor can the Church substitute for the courts in adjudicating legal claims. The Church has great faith in the judicial system to determine the truth of these claims. Nevertheless, the Church takes seriously its responsibility to hold its members accountable for their conduct with respect of the laws of God and man. To that end, the Church is continuing its investigation of this individual's claims and will act consistent with its long-standing policy of no tolerance for abuse.

I have heard first-hand accounts of many bishop/stake president interviews with women which exist in the LDS church records, reports sent to the Presiding Bishopric Office from stakes processing excommunication hearings.

I believe there is a serious problem with the system, where women are interviewed privately by male leaders. A lot of abusive practices. Of course actual "assaults" are not reported, but the nature of the questions is concerning. I'd call it a systemic problem which allows authoritative figures with little or no training or supervision to exploit their people.

VP Pence would not do such an interview. The LDS Church needs a woman required to be present in all such interviews.
 
Today I learned that the Coriolis Effect (in the Northern Hemisphere) deflects objects to the right, regardless of whether the objects are traveling from south to north or from north to south. I had previously assumed that the deflection would be to the left if the object is traveling north, and to the right if the object is traveling south due to the Earth rotating counter-clockwise (as viewed from the North Star) underneath the object while it is in flight. But it turns out that's not the only thing you need to take into account.

(I probably learned that a long time ago, but re-learned it today.)
 
Today I learned that a good friend of mine from high school has been tapped as a Trump nominee for a job that requires Senate confirmation. Pretty surreal to see his name and picture in the news today! (https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-picks-mitch-mcconnell-apos-105805538.html.) Haven't really talked since high school (30 years ago, yikes!) and have no idea about his qualifications for this particular post, but he was really smart (high school valedictorian, went to Stanford, started a software company, etc.) and he was a really good guy. Hopefully still is both. (I also had no idea he was Mitch McConnell's brother-in-law. Weird.)
 
Today I learned that a good friend of mine from high school has been tapped as a Trump nominee for a job that requires Senate confirmation. Pretty surreal to see his name and picture in the news today! (https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-picks-mitch-mcconnell-apos-105805538.html.) Haven't really talked since high school (30 years ago, yikes!) and have no idea about his qualifications for this particular post, but he was really smart (high school valedictorian, went to Stanford, started a software company, etc.) and he was a really good guy. Hopefully still is both. (I also had no idea he was Mitch McConnell's brother-in-law. Weird.)
OMG, imagine having Yurtle, the Turtle, McConnell as your brother-in-law. I hate the man with a passion. He is the prime mover behind the Supreme Court ruling that gave us Citizens United and, later the McConnell-Finegold Act, which have nearly destroyed our democratic system. What an ogre.
 
OMG, imagine having Yurtle, the Turtle, McConnell as your brother-in-law. I hate the man with a passion.

Yes, I have long disliked the man.

He is the prime mover behind the Supreme Court ruling that gave us Citizens United and, later the McConnell-Finegold Act, which have nearly destroyed our democratic system. What an ogre.

I think you're misremembering something. There isn't anything called the "McConnell-Finegold Act", but there is the "McCain–Feingold Act" which apparently McConnell challenged. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McConnell_v._FEC. The Supreme Court largely ruled against McConnell, in favor of the constitutionality of the McCain–Feingold Act.
 
Yes, I have long disliked the man.



I think you're misremembering something. There isn't anything called the "McConnell-Finegold Act", but there is the "McCain–Feingold Act" which apparently McConnell challenged. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McConnell_v._FEC. The Supreme Court largely ruled against McConnell, in favor of the constitutionality of the McCain–Feingold Act.
You're correct, my mistake. McConnell was involved though in that second Supreme Court ruling that further increased private investment on political campaigns. McCain actually was pushing for public financing of political campaigns. It's too bad the movement for this faded and now politics is ruled totally by the moneyed interests.
 
Vodka is unique amongst distilled beverages. First, the translation of Vodka is "little water" as it looks like water and is served in little glasses.

But the goal in distilling Vodka is different than the goal when distilling anything else. With whiskey you hope to have a good whiskey flavor, enhanced by the barrel it is aged in. If it doesn't taste like whiskey it isn't good whiskey. If you make Tequila, you want the flavor of agave and the vessel it is aged in. If Tequila doesn't taste like Tequila it isn't good Tequila. Rum, goes without saying, the vessel it matures in is vital to great Rum flavor. Gin is infused with various spices, herbs. etc. That's what sets ordinary Gin apart from the best.

Vodka is supposed to taste like "little water." The LESS flavor Vodka has the better the Vodka. That's why they triple filter it in charcoal and so fourth. The more neutral the flavor the higher the quality.

Vodka is the light lager of the distilled beverage world. Just make it taste like nothing and you're golden.
I hate vodka. It's the only liquor that makes me throw up and gives me the worst hangover.
 
TIL Prince Fielder played for the Ogden Raptors and Tommy Lasorda managed them to 3 consecutive Pioneer titles from 1966 - 1968.
 
TIL Prince Fielder played for the Ogden Raptors and Tommy Lasorda managed them to 3 consecutive Pioneer titles from 1966 - 1968.

I remember him coming to SLC on his AAA team right before he made his MLB debut. He was a lard *** back then too, and if I remember correctly, he got into an altercation with one of our players and benches cleared.

Not sure why/how I remember that, but I do.
 
Today I learned about Dunbar's number: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar's_number. It's basically the number of people a regular person can keep track of, including relationships between each other (not just relationships between them and you). It is probably around 100-250, with a commonly used value of 150.
Funny, right before I read this I was just thinking that I no longer can retain what I know about people and perhaps I need to carry around a notebook with each person's facts. So good to know that the notebook needs to be 150 pages.

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using JazzFanz mobile app
 
Today I learned that Coke Zero and Diet Coke have different amounts of caffeine. Coke Zero (and regular Coke) has 34 mg. Diet Coke has 42 mg.
 
Today I learned that Coke Zero and Diet Coke have different amounts of caffeine. Coke Zero (and regular Coke) has 34 mg. Diet Coke has 42 mg.

How much is in the same amount of ounces of coffee?
 
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