Tag Archives: lessons

Things I Learned this Week

Among the things I learned this week:

* The iPhone and iPad handle/display Web data (e.g., HTML) differently, even though it is the same OS and both use Safari Mobile. (Courtesy: A Web site I manage)

* Bingo has a huge Web presence (e.g., directories). (Courtesy: All the Ws)

* The story of Marsha Ferber, who kickstarted Morgantown’s music scene with the creation of the Underground Railroad. (Courtesy: 123 Pleasant Street)

* The existence of “termination rights”, which could lead to a significant shift in rights of music starting in the late-1970s. (Courtesy: NYT)

Things I Learned this Week

Among the things I learned this week:

* Unmarried Lithuanian women have last names that end in “aite”. Married Lithuanian women take their husbands’ last names but add a “iene” to it. (Courtesy: JS via ZS, confirmed by RS).

* Bosoms wrinkle. (Courtesy: NYT)

* I noticed a few companies no longer allowing customers to add tips to the credit card charge. The reason is because the company, rather than the employee being tipped, is held liable for taxes on tips. (Courtesy: SK)

* It is easier to buy season tickets for the Kennedy Center than The Met. (Courtesy: Kennedy Center and The Met)

Things I Learned this Week

Among the things I learned this week:

* Despite the Beastie Boys’ suggestion, Jamaica is not a significant producer of mangoes. (Courtesy: FAOSTAT, nicely displayed on Mongabay.com, and University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences)

* Physiocracy. (Courtesy: Car Talk reference; Wikipedia)

* “Package store” is Northern slang for liquor store. (Courtesy: HD)

* Bitrates of various streaming services:
– Spotify: Vorbis 160kbps with some at 320kbps if a Premium subscriber
– Amazon Cloud Player: MP3 at the rate the file was saved
– Pandora: AAC 64kbps and up to 192kbps, depending on subscription
– Google Music: play back at the quality of the file, except for FLAC, which is played back as mp3 320kpbs

* Lord of the Rings is “fundamentally religious and Catholic work”, according to Tolkien. (Courtesy: Wikipedia and follow up readings).