NursingLink

Hey folks. Let's share (and comment on) some interesting, crazy, shocking or fascinating tidbits from the info that we learn about on this crazy journey. Here's a seasonally appropriate one:

Department Store Santas

Every year, thousands of parents take their children to the mall to sit on Santa's lap. The kids tell Santa what they want for Christmas, and then pose for the obligatory picture.

There's no doubt that Christmas is linked to shopping... but how did the holiday's central secular figure come to work directly for the department stores?

In 1841, Philadelphia merchant J.W. Parkinson hired the first known store Santa. Parkinson asked a man to dress up as "Cris Cringle" and climb his store's chimney. The next Santa sighting was in Brockton, MA 40 years later. The Boston Store hired a plump man with a white beard and a hearty laugh to stroll around and mingle with customers. Santa's appearance was so popular that other stores starting adopting the idea.

(Source: Religioustolerance.org; City of Brockton)

Florence Nightingale's Owl
Famed as the Lady with the Lamp, Florence Nightingale is assured of a position in nursing history forevermore and, as befits a woman of such reputation, she has a museum dedicated to her. However, the Florence Nightingale Museum of London is looking for to raise £13,000 to buy an important part of the nurse’s life: her owl, Athena. Yes, Florence had a beloved pet owl which was stuffed after its death and is now for sale. £9000 has been given, £5000 is left, and you see Athena (as well as read more about the story) .
Courteousy of Robert Wilde. Robert's History Blog.

DaMomb said:

Okay all, try this one on for size. See how well versed you are in Christmas lyrics...have fun!

http://living.aol.com/holidays/lyric_quiz

Here is more than you ever wanted to know about mistletoe: Candlegrove.com points out, tracing the history of mistletoe-induced kissing means going back to ancient Scandinavia -- to custom and the Norse myths: "It was also the plant of peace in Scandinavian antiquity. If enemies met by chance beneath it in a forest, they laid down their arms and maintained a truce until the next day." This ancient Scandinavian custom led to the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. But this tradition went hand-in-hand with one of the Norse myths, namely, the myth of Baldur. Baldur's death and resurrection is one of the most fascinating Norse myths and stands at the beginning of the history of mistletoe as a "kissing" plant.
Baldur's mother was the Norse goddess, Frigga. When Baldur was born, Frigga made each and every plant, animal and inanimate object promise not to harm Baldur. But Frigga overlooked the mistletoe plant -- and the mischievous god of the Norse myths, Loki, took advantage of this oversight. Ever the prankster, Loki tricked one of the other gods into killing Baldur with a spear fashioned from mistletoe. The demise of Baldur, a vegetation deity in the Norse myths, brought winter into the world, although the gods did eventually restore Baldur to life. After which Frigga pronounced the mistletoe sacred, ordering that from now on it should bring love rather than death into the world. Happily complying with Frigga's wishes, any two people passing under the plant from now on would celebrate Baldur's resurrection by kissing under the mistletoe.
It goes without saying that, if we were to peel off the layers of custom and myth surrounding "kissing under the mistletoe," we would find ourselves in the midst of ancient erotica. Mistletoe has long been regarded as an aphrodisiac and fertility herb. It may also possess abortifacient qualities, which would help explain its association with uninhibited sexuality.
The unusual botanical history of mistletoe goes a long way towards explaining the awe in which it was held in the Norse myths. For in spite of not being rooted in the soil, mistletoe remained green throughout the winter, while the trees upon which it grew and upon which it fed did not (the European mistletoe often grows on apple trees; more rarely on oaks). The fascination this must have exerted over pre-scientific peoples is understandable.
Most types of mistletoe are classified as hemiparasitical (i.e., partial parasites). They are not full parasites, since the plants are capable of photosynthesis. But these mistletoe plants are parasitic in the sense that they send a special kind of root system (called "haustoria") down into their hosts, the trees upon which they grow, in order to extract nutrients from the trees.
Various types of mistletoe grow all over world, so it is difficult to generalize about the plant. Mistletoe is in the Loranthaceae family. The flowers of tropical mistletoes can be much larger and more colorful than the small yellow flowers (later yielding whitish yellow berries) that Westerners associate with the plant. The mistletoe common in Europe is classified as Viscum album, while its American counterpart is Phoradendron flavescens.
The U.S. is also home to a dwarf mistletoe, called Arceuthobium pusillum. The latter is not something that you would want growing on your landscape, since it does do harm to the trees that it uses as hosts. Even the hemiparasitical mistletoes are far from beneficial to their hosts. But Arceuthobium pusillum is fully parasitical, having no leaves of its own. And since there are no leaves to harvest from this plant, dwarf mistletoe is even useless as a Christmas decoration for "kissing under the mistletoe"! Those trying to ascertain how to get rid of mistletoe can find information online in the Clemson Extension paper, "Getting Rid of Mistletoe."
While partyers focus on kissing under the mistletoe, and while botanists and landscapers concentrate on distinguishing hemiparasitical mistletoes from the fully parasitical, the medical profession has begun to investigate the alleged benefits of mistletoe to human health. Actress Suzanne Somers increased public awareness of the research taking place on mistletoe as a possible cure for breast cancer and gave mistletoe history a new twist. Somers opted to treat her breast cancer with Iscador, a drug made from a mistletoe extract. CNN followed up this report with another, however which was highly skeptical of the efficacy of mistletoe as a cancer cure for humans.
We turned to the Norse myths to explain the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. But how did people come up with the name "mistletoe"?
Candlegrove.com points out, tracing the history of mistletoe-induced kissing means going back to ancient Scandinavia -- to custom and the Norse myths: "It was also the plant of peace in Scandinavian antiquity. If enemies met by chance beneath it in a forest, they laid down their arms and maintained a truce until the next day." This ancient Scandinavian custom led to the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. But this tradition went hand-in-hand with one of the Norse myths, namely, the myth of Baldur. Baldur's death and resurrection is one of the most fascinating Norse myths and stands at the beginning of the history of mistletoe as a "kissing" plant.
Baldur's mother was the Norse goddess, Frigga. When Baldur was born, Frigga made each and every plant, animal and inanimate object promise not to harm Baldur. But Frigga overlooked the mistletoe plant -- and the mischievous god of the Norse myths, Loki, took advantage of this oversight. Ever the prankster, Loki tricked one of the other gods into killing Baldur with a spear fashioned from mistletoe. The demise of Baldur, a vegetation deity in the Norse myths, brought winter into the world, although the gods did eventually restore Baldur to life. After which Frigga pronounced the mistletoe sacred, ordering that from now on it should bring love rather than death into the world. Happily complying with Frigga's wishes, any two people passing under the plant from now on would celebrate Baldur's resurrection by kissing under the mistletoe.
It goes without saying that, if we were to peel off the layers of custom and myth surrounding "kissing under the mistletoe," we would find ourselves in the midst of ancient erotica. Mistletoe has long been regarded as an aphrodisiac and fertility herb. It may also possess abortifacient qualities, which would help explain its association with uninhibited sexuality.
The unusual botanical history of mistletoe goes a long way towards explaining the awe in which it was held in the Norse myths. For in spite of not being rooted in the soil, mistletoe remained green throughout the winter, while the trees upon which it grew and upon which it fed did not (the European mistletoe often grows on apple trees; more rarely on oaks). The fascination this must have exerted over pre-scientific peoples is understandable.
Most types of mistletoe are classified as hemiparasitical (i.e., partial parasites). They are not full parasites, since the plants are capable of photosynthesis. But these mistletoe plants are parasitic in the sense that they send a special kind of root system (called "haustoria") down into their hosts, the trees upon which they grow, in order to extract nutrients from the trees.
Various types of mistletoe grow all over world, so it is difficult to generalize about the plant. Mistletoe is in the Loranthaceae family. The flowers of tropical mistletoes can be much larger and more colorful than the small yellow flowers (later yielding whitish yellow berries) that Westerners associate with the plant. The mistletoe common in Europe is classified as Viscum album, while its American counterpart is Phoradendron flavescens.
The U.S. is also home to a dwarf mistletoe, called Arceuthobium pusillum. The latter is not something that you would want growing on your landscape, since it does do harm to the trees that it uses as hosts. Even the hemiparasitical mistletoes are far from beneficial to their hosts. But Arceuthobium pusillum is fully parasitical, having no leaves of its own. And since there are no leaves to harvest from this plant, dwarf mistletoe is even useless as a Christmas decoration for "kissing under the mistletoe"! Those trying to ascertain how to get rid of mistletoe can find information online in the Clemson Extension paper, "Getting Rid of Mistletoe."
While partyers focus on kissing under the mistletoe, and while botanists and landscapers concentrate on distinguishing hemiparasitical mistletoes from the fully parasitical, the medical profession has begun to investigate the alleged benefits of mistletoe to human health. Actress Suzanne Somers increased public awareness of the research taking place on mistletoe as a possible cure for breast cancer and gave mistletoe history a new twist. Somers opted to treat her breast cancer with Iscador, a drug made from a mistletoe extract. CNN followed up this report with another, however which was highly skeptical of the efficacy of mistletoe as a cancer cure for humans.
We turned to the Norse myths to explain the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. But how did people come up with the name "mistletoe"?

this came from: http://landscaping.about.com/cs/winterlandscaping1/a/mistletoe_3.htm

cdnurse: you're right! It was more than I wanted to know ! ( did your score go up a point after writing this?)

Wow!!! ok... here's another.. or course.. it's seasonally appropriate:

Why We Hang Up Christmas Stockings

Why do we hang oversized socks on the mantle during Christmas? One theory is that the tradition comes from a story about the original Saint Nicholas, the inspiration for Santa Claus. St. Nicholas left gold coins in the stockings of three poor girls who needed money for their dowries. The stockings had been hung next to the fire to dry.

(Source: the HowStuffWorks website)

Careful everyone "It is estimated that 400,000 people become sick each year from eating tainted Christmas leftovers."

Not sure about the spanking thing, but my mom is from Holland and each December 6th St-Nicholas would visit the houses and with him was Black Peter. If the parents said that the kids were good only St-Nick would come in the house, leaving Black Peter on the stoop. If the kids were naughty Black Peter would come in and threaten to put them in his sack and send them to spain! My mom was terrified as a kid as she was always naughty! LOL

Online Video-Borne Viruses

You already know not to click on attachments to suspicious e-mails - but what about online videos? Security experts at a recent industry conference in Atlanta brought attention to this new threat from hackers, who are increasingly embedding malicious codes, including viruses and spyware, in online video players and video files. (When an Internet user opens the file for the first time, the code activates.)

They advise users to download only videos and video players from well-known sources they trust. And how do you know who you can trust? You probably don't. So your real defense is the same best-practice for all computer security issues: Be absolutely relentless about keeping your computer's anti-virus software up to date.

(Source: Associated Press)

TCNToday; that was very interesting.

From what I have read, you would probably have to eat a whole jar to get any sort of high from it. I think that would be a tough one to swallow!

I know nothing about nutmeg. Sorry. BUT, I am loving Denmark's New Years Eve tradition:
(According to http://www.goalsguy.com/Events/n_good-luck-traditions.html). In Denmark it is a good sign to find your door heaped with a pile of broken dishes at New Years. Old dishes are saved year around to throw them at the homes where their friends live on New Years Eve. Many broken dishes were a symbol that you have many friends.

That would be so cathartic to throw dishes at someone's house! -And they liked you for it!? Lovin' Denmark!

Well.. it seems obvious you folks are not seeing many Nutmeg OD's in the ER. :-)

ok... here's another: The World War I Christmas / New Year Truce

Christmas spirit should have been sorely lacking among British and German troops during World War I, sitting in cold, muddy trenches and facing each other across a deadly no man's land in Flanders. But on Christmas Eve in 1914, troops on both sides - after exchanging cautious written and shouted messages - ignored orders from their commanding generals. They laid down their weapons and gathered on the battlefield for an informal truce. They buried their dead, shared food and cognac, sang carols, and even played a soccer match. (The Germans won 3-2.)

The truce was over by New Year's Day because of threats of court martial for the troops, and the war continued for another four years.

(Source: Snopes.com)

I think that's a beautiful story too. It's been made into a movie...very good, but you have to like subtitles! Called Joyeux Noël (released in 2005). Sure would be nice if all of mankind would follow suit (for more than just a few days)!

charlita said:

8 is the # of New Beginnings: Every 8 days a new week begins/No matter what is on your credit report-on the eighth year it is wiped clean/for any unprosecuted crime, except murder, on the eighth year it passes the seven year statue of limitations and you can't be tried for it/THIS YEAR IS A NEW BEGINNING FOR EACH OF US!.

Here's an interesting one. (this is one of those ideas I had and never acted on it..... ever had that happen?)

People Power

Windmills and solar panels are so last century. A gym in Hong Kong, collaborating with inventor Lucien Gambarota, is experimenting with a really alternative source of energy: workout machines. Dynamos have been attached to cycling and Stairmaster machines, generating enough electricity to power lights and TVs in the gym. The experiment has been such a success that the company has plans to expand the program to its other locations.

(Source: Wired)