I almost forgot. Heres this past Tuesdays newspaper column. URBAN LEGENDS AND CYBER FAIRY TALES Have you heard that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line? We all have. However, in reality—and I do like to keep it real—when traveling from one side of our globe to another, the shortest distance for terrestrial travel isn’t a straight line. It’s an arc; unless you’re planning to tunnel through the earth in a straight line. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, caffeine is an addictive drug that creates physical dependence, causes an increase in heart rate, body temperature, urine production and gastric juice secretion. Yikes! Besides coffee, tea also contains caffeine. However, I never thought of caffeine as a drug, per se, but apparently caffeine can raise blood sugar levels, causes tremors, loss of coordination, decreased appetite and postponement of fatigue, not to mention interfering with the depth of sleep. But, don’t think if you give up tea (hot or iced) or coffee you’re off the caffeine hook. Nope. Caffeine’s also found in coca, chocolate candies and many over-the-counter medicines. I might give up my coffee and tea but chocolate? Have to think about that one. Okay, I’m not giving up my coffee and tea either. As an artist one of my favorite mediums is India ink, and like most folks, I assumed it originated in India. I mean, why else would it be called India ink? The fallacies and lies and misconceptions of a lifetime are catching up with me, thanks to a thirst for knowledge and the Internet. India ink, a mixture of soot created from lampblack and gum, actually originated in China. Samuel Pepys, who’s well known for his diary, is credited with being the first to call it India ink in 1665. One mistake leads to more mistakes and eventually down through the ages, the name stuck. By the way, rice paper isn’t made from rice, but instead from the pith of the Chinese rice-paper tree. When growing up as an impressionable and curious child, and before fact-check came along, I believed Biblical teachings declaring that since Eve was created from one of Adam’s ribs, that men must have one less rib than women. What a surprise when I found out it’s another fallacy. Apparently it’s an allegory created to explain what priests of old considered the physical, emotional and intellectual attachment between men and women. It had to do with a verse in Genesis about when a man leaves his father and mother that he “shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.” Whew! Glad that’s cleared up. I reckon doctors knew this, but I didn’t. Having an additional rib made me feel quite superior to the male of the species, guess now I’ll just have to base the superiority on brains instead. While clearing things up, I’m sure you’ll be happy to learn Mikey didn’t die because Pop Rocks exploded in his stomach. Remember Pop Rocks? They’re fruit-flavored candies that contain trapped carbon dioxide so that when placed in the mouth, the candy dissolves and carbonation causes a fizzing sensation on the tongue and mild popping sounds. Little boys especially love them. Urban legend said Life cereal’s Mikey washed some down with Coca-Cola and they exploded in his tummy and he died. John Gilchrist, aka Mikey, graduated from college in 1991. Pop Rocks are still sold today through Pop Rocks, Inc. and your innards are safe. Facebook is full of urban legends I call Cyber Fairy Tales invented by Cyber Vandals; new ones pop up daily. Since their inception, I’ve depended upon Snopes for confirmation. If it’s too far-fetched to sound real, likely it isn’t. # # #
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 03:11:00 +0000