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Author
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Topic: Useless Fact's
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 11-17-2004 12:55 PM
Rated G ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Useless fact - Did Lewis Carroll have a wife and kids?
Lewis Carroll, whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, was an intriguing, enigmatic character. An accomplished man, he was a deacon, author, logician, mathematician, photographer, and a childless bachelor. Born January 27, 1832, at Daresbury in Cheshire, England, Carroll was the son of an Anglican clergyman and one of eleven children. He was educated at Richmond School and Rugby School and attended Christ Church College, Oxford. In 1852, he received a scholarship to continue his studies at Oxford. The scholarship stipulated that Dodgson remain unmarried while he studied for the priesthood. Later, he was ordained as a deacon in the Church of England, but Dodgson felt he was not suited to the priesthood and did not pursue it. He became a lecturer in mathematics at Christ Church and remained there until 1881. After he resigned from his position at the school, he turned to writing full time until his death in 1898.
Carroll's bachelor status, his photographs, and his relationships with children have led to speculation. He was friendly with the children of the writer George Macdonald and the sons of poet Alfred Lord Tennyson. But it was his friendship with Alice Liddell, his inspiration for the character of Alice in his books, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, that was the most controversial.
Henry Liddell was the Dean of Christ Church, whom Carroll met while he was continuing his studies there. He was quite taken with the Liddell girls, particularly young Alice, and photographed her frequently. Too frequently, according to her mother, who asked him to refrain from photographing the girl. A recent book seeks to clear Carroll's muddied reputation -- it alleges that he was interested not in Alice Lidell, as many believe, but in Lorina Lidell, her mother.
"'Curiouser and curiouser!,' cried Alice."
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 11-22-2004 09:36 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - What is the history of the Ouija board?
"Ouija board, Ouija board, will you work for me?" Spirit seekers have been asking that question of the mysterious talking board for over a century. Though we don't know if Ouija boards really contact the Great Beyond, we browsed the links in the Lukol Ouija category to answer your question.
Some sources claim the board has an ancient heritage, but no reliable proof has been found. According to the well-researched web site, Ouija boards started in the mid 19th century when spiritualism became wildly popular in the United States and Europe. This obsession with the occult led people to hold séances to contact the dead. Spirits supposedly knocked on the table, moved objects across the room, and spoke to the living.
Parlor games were invented to help interpret the spirits' voices, and one of the first was the planchette. The word means "little plank" in French, and the device was a small piece of wood (usually heart-shaped) with three small legs or wheels. Early planchettes had a pencil for a third leg, and when you put your fingers on the planchette, spirits were supposed to move your hand to make the pencil write out messages.
Around 1886, people began modifying the planchette. They removed the pencil and set the planchette atop a message board printed with all the letters of the alphabet, the numbers one through ten, the words "yes" and "no," and the phrases "good evening" and "good night." Players would place their fingers on the planchette and allow spirits to move it around the board to spell out words or dates. The spirits could also answer yes or no questions. "Good evening" and "good bye" were for courtesy (the Victorian inventors didn't want to anger the spirits with bad manners).
In 1891, Elijah J. Bond, Charles W. Kennard, and William H. A. Maupin were granted the first patent for a Ouija board. No one knows if they designed the board or simply copied an existing fad. Regardless, in 1890, Kennard founded the Kennard Novelty Company and produced the first commercial talking boards. He was also the first to call it a Ouija board, claiming that "ouija" (pronounced "wE-ja") was Egyptian for "good luck." While the word doesn't mean "good luck," the name Ouija stuck, and the boards were sometimes called Egyptian luck boards.
Kennard didn't reap much good luck from the Ouija board, however. In 1892, a hostile takeover forced him out of his own company, and a former employee, William Fuld, became the new owner. Fuld changed the name of the business to the Ouija Novelty Company and invented a new history for the talking board to add to its mystery. Fuld's name has been connected to the Ouija board ever since and was often used to market the game, even after his death in 1927.
In 1966, Fuld's heirs sold Ouija to the game and toy company Parker Brothers, which still owns the trademark and continues to make Ouija boards. Since the late 1800s, many others have manufactured and sold some form of talking board as well. But we think Parker Brothers had the best advertising slogan: "It's just a game -- isn't it?"
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 11-23-2004 08:25 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - What are contact lenses made of?
After checking the links in the Lukol Contact Lenses category, we could answer your question with just one word, à la "The Graduate". That word would be "plastics." Contact lenses are made of thin, clear, curved plastics, specifically polymers.
In the 1960s, the first contact lenses that became commonly available were made of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). PMMA is used in Plexiglas and Lucite and for things like aquariums and hockey rink barriers. It's even found in latex paints. PMMA lenses are hard, rigid, and not very comfortable. These lenses don't allow oxygen to pass directly to the cornea, which can be detrimental to the eye. Hard lenses are not very popular anymore.
In 1971, the first soft contact lenses were introduced commercially in the United States. These were also made of a polymer, but this time it was a polyacrylamide, which contains nitrogen. This polymer dissolves in water, and it's similar to polymers used to make acrylic fibers for fabric. Crosslinked polyacrylamide actually absorbs water, so it's a good material for contact lenses. Anywhere from 38% to 79% of a soft contact lens is water, and the water keeps the lens soft and flexible. Over 75% of contact lens wearers in the U.S. use soft lenses.
In 1979, the first rigid gas-permeable lenses (also known as RGPs) hit the market. These lenses combine PMMA with silicone and fluoropolymers so oxygen can pass directly through the lens to the eye. This makes the lens more comfortable for the wearer. Plus, the rigidity of RGPs can make vision crisper, and RGPs are better suited to correcting astigmatism and bifocal needs.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 11-26-2004 08:47 PM
Rated G
Useless fact - How can someone have two different colored eyes?
According to the links in the Lukol Vision category, it was once believed that eye color was controlled by a single gene and inherited in a straightforward fashion (remember Mendel from high-school biology?). These days it's not quite that simple. We now believe that eye color is a polygenic trait.
Eye color is determined by the amount of melanin, a dark brown pigment, present in your irises. Blue eyes are due to a lack of melanin, while brown eyes indicate melanin-rich irises. Thus, people with darker hair and skin have higher levels of melanin and tend to have brown eyes, while people with lighter hair and skin have lower levels of melanin and usually have lighter colored eyes. This is also why many babies are born with blue eyes. Their eyes change color later as they begin to produce more melanin.
When an individual has different amounts of melanin in each of their irises, their eyes are different colors. Heterochromia iridium (the scientific name for two different color eyes in the same individual) is relatively rare in humans but common in some animals, such as horses, cats, and certain species of dogs. A variation on the condition is heterochromia iridis, in which an individual has a variety of colors within one iris.
Heterochromia iridium is thought to result from an alteration to one of the genes that controls eye color. This can be an inherited trait, although trauma and certain medications may result in increased or decreased pigmentation in one of the irises. Certain medical syndromes, such as Waardenburg syndrome, may also cause someone to have two different colored eyes.
Some people with this condition wear colored contact lenses so their irises match, while others take pride in their striking appearance
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-02-2004 12:33 PM
Rated G
Useless fact - What year was the White House built?
Links in the Lukol White House category led us down the right road, and we learned detailed information about the mansion that has housed every U.S. president since John Adams (the second U.S. president):
Although he never lived there, George Washington chose the location for White House while he was in office. In 1792, Congress selected a plan submitted by architect James Hoban for a Palladian-style building. The Irish-born Hoban modeled the structure after the Leister House in Dublin. The cornerstone was laid October 13, 1792. John Adams and his wife Abigail moved into the unfinished house in 1800. Construction was ongoing until 1809, when Thomas Jefferson was the occupant.
Over the years, the structure has been renovated, redesigned, and expanded a number of times, although the facade appears largely the same today as it did when it was built. After the British torched the White House during the War of 1812, it was rebuilt and enlarged. In 1901, Teddy Roosevelt arrived with his brood of six, necessitating additional room. Offices on the second floor were turned into living space, and the West Wing, which houses the presidential office and the Cabinet Room, was added. Construction on the addition was completed in 1902. The East Wing, which houses yet more offices, was built in 1942.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-03-2004 08:53 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - What causes hangover symptoms? And what are the best ways to relieve them?
Here's what we learned from the links in the Lukol Hangovers category:
The root cause of all hangovers is, of course, drinking alcohol. If you drink enough and end up with a hangover, it means you've ingested more alcohol than your body can metabolize efficiently. The toxins in alcohol build up in your body and make you feel sick. A chief culprit is a chemical called acetaldehyde. This is an alcohol by-product that research suggests may cause the worst of your hangover symptoms.
Congeners are another cause of hangovers. These are impurities created during the fermentation process in some types of alcohol. Low quality wines and many dark liquors tend to have high levels of congeners. The rule of thumb is the darker your drink, the worse the hangover. Hungover.net's Pain-O-Meter has an amusing list of hangover-inducing alcoholic beverages.
Dehydration is both a cause and a symptom of hangovers. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it increases urination. The more alcohol you drink, the more water your body loses. Your liver and kidneys need water to process the alcohol, so when you lose water, your body struggles to rid itself of toxins.
The best cure for a hangover is prevention. If you insist on imbibing, be more careful about your intake. Drink no more than one drink per hour. Remember that light-colored drinks will hurt you less. Drink water while you drink alcohol. Having food in your stomach is a good idea because it slows the absorption of alcohol by your body.
Many hangover cures are just old wives' tales. Drinking more alcohol (known as the "hair of the dog") won't help. It simply postpones the inevitable. Caffeinated drinks like coffee are diuretics, so avoid them if you're hung-over. Eating fruits and vegetables can help replenish the nutrients you've lost. Hungover.net recommends B vitamins. Many sources advise against taking acetaminophen (a.k.a. Tylenol) because it could damage your liver if mixed with alcohol. Ibuprofen painkillers are considered a better choice.
Other classic remedies include sports drinks like Gatorade and sugary food and drink. Tomatoes figure prominently in hangover cures, from Bloody Marys to V8 to Italian food. Some swear that exercise (even sex!) is a great way to get the blood pumping and move toxins out of the body. The amino-acid supplement cysteine may help your liver break down alcohol, too.
Medical research has shown that what you really need to get rid of a hangover is restful time for your body to heal. Plenty of water will help you feel better. Just remember to take it easy at the bar, and try to avoid problems next time.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-09-2004 02:14 PM
Rated G
Useless fact - What is the origin of the term "red-light district"?
According to the Origin of Phrases site, the term "red-light district" dates back to the railroading days around the beginning of the 20th century. Railroad crews used red lanterns for signaling and lighting, and most crew members carried one with them as they left the train yard. When they paid a visit to a working girl, the men would leave the lantern on the porch of the prostitute's house while they were inside, probably to signal that she was busy.
The Phrase Finder bulletin board offers another explanation, stating the term dates back to the 1890s. Prostitutes would put red shades on candles and electric lamps, and place these lights in their windows to advertise their trade. This practice has continued to the present day in some places, most notably in Amsterdam. The city's red-light district is locally called the Walletjes or Wallen (both referring to the walls) or Rosse buurt (meaning the red or pink neighborhood). In the Netherlands, prostitution has long been accepted, and it's been legalized and regulated for some time. Amsterdam's red-light district is full of windows glowing red, where prostitutes stand partially clothed to attract business.
Of course, prostitution districts are nothing new. Major cities often hosted bustling red-light districts in the Victorian era and earlier, and lawmakers often sought to regulate them. Sometimes, police simply settled with confining the prostitution to one part of the city, essentially condoning the red-light district. Some of the laws passed were only concerned with health issues. For example, Britain's Contagious Diseases Act of 1869 required prostitutes to be officially registered and inspected for sexually transmitted diseases.
Several modern authors refer to mid-19th-century prostitution areas as "red-light districts." While it's difficult to know if the term was in use at the time, the railroad lantern explanation does seem to be a plausible origin for the light itself. Check out our Etymology category for more.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-10-2004 09:29 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - Why can't dogs see color?
Here's what we learned from the Lukol Dog Health category and Vision category:
Popular wisdom has it that dogs are color-blind, but recent research suggests that a dog's world is not all black and white. To understand what dogs can and can't see, it helps to have some basic knowledge of vision in humans and other mammals.
Our vision is optimized for seeing in bright light, while dogs, like many other predators, see best in dimmer light.
Two types of photoreceptor cells in the retina -- rods and cones - - respond to light and transmit electric impulses to the optic nerve through a series of chemical reactions. Rods process visual information in dim light and are sensitive motion detectors, while cones handle color and detail. The human retina contains approximately 100 million rods and 7 million cones.
Cone cells contain pigments that perceive specific wavelengths of color. Human vision is trichromatic -- we have three types of cones that recognize different portions of the color spectrum. These cones allow us to see a range of colors that are a mix of red, blue, and green pigments. Dogs have only two types of cones - - their dichromatic color vision is similar to that of a human with red-green color-blindness. In addition, a dog's retina contains a much smaller ratio of cones to rods than ours does. An article about Canine Vision, written for a college psychology course, includes a graphic that contrasts the yellow, blue, and gray spectrum of the dog's world with the familiar rainbow of colors we perceive.
Before you start feeling sorry for Fido, keep in mind that although he may not have the color range and visual acuity (focus) that you depend on, his night vision is far superior. Thanks to a reflective structure behind their retina called the tapetum lucidum, dogs see objects in the dark as if lit by an eerie glow.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-14-2004 11:31 AM
Rated G
Useless fact - Who are the four horsemen? What do they have to do with the apocalypse?
We went to the links in the Lukol Biblical End Times category to reveal a few details about these mysterious riders. Commonly called "the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse," these figures are part of the elaborate imagery found in the Bible's Book of Revelation. Scholars believe this book was written at the end of the first century A.D. The Book of Revelation recounts the visions experienced by John the Apostle. In Biblical Greek, the word "apocalypse" means revelation, and John's message is meant as a prediction of the future. The book may have been an allegory for the political situation of the time.
Passages 6:1 through 6:8 describe the horsemen. In these pages, Jesus Christ is symbolized by the Lamb, and he opens a scroll fastened with seven seals. After he breaks each of the first four seals, one of the horsemen appears. As the first seal breaks, John sees, "a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."
The second seal reveals "another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword."
After the third seal is broken, a black horse appears, and the rider holds a pair of balances. John hears a voice say, "A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine."
When the fourth seal is broken, the final horse arrives: "a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him." John says of the horses, "And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth."
The symbolism of the four horsemen is much debated. The first horse in particular is a source of confusion. Some identify the white horse with Christ because later in Revelation, Christ rides on a white horse. Many others believe the first horseman brings conquest and oppression upon the world in preparation for the next horses.
The second horseman is commonly seen as war. The third is usually interpreted as famine, due to the relationship between the scales, food, and money. The final horseman obviously symbolizes death, though sometimes this horseman is considered to be pestilence and disease because the pale color of the horse can be translated as "sickly pale."
In Revelation, conquest, war, famine, and death/pestilence are given power over a quarter of the earth. Humankind suffers even more in this book, but in the end, good finally triumphs over evil.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-15-2004 12:43 PM
Rated G
Useless fact - My husband and I want to renew our wedding vows on our 10th anniversary.How do we do it and what should we say?
We turned to the links in Lukol Wedding Vows category and here's what we learned: Unlike an actual wedding, few, if any, traditional rules apply to a vow renewal ceremony. You can celebrate with as large or as small a party as you want, wear whatever you want, and say whatever you want. You could use your vow renewal as a fun excuse to travel. Or if you weren't satisfied with your wedding the first time around, this could be your chance to redo it. Ultimately, you and your husband should decide together what size and style of event suits you best.
You can use your original marriage vows, or you may want to add or write new words. This would be an excellent way to reflect upon how your relationship has grown over the years. Here's a sample: "My dearest ___, it was 25 years ago that we first pledged our commitment to one another, but it seems like just yesterday that I was standing across from my beautiful bride/handsome groom. We have been through a lot together - laughter and tears, joy and sorrow - and through all those times, I can honestly say, I loved you every step of the way. Today, I want to renew those vows and again pledge my love and life to you. I promise to be there for you in sickness and health, in middle and old age, in good and bad hair days. Whether you feel thin, fat, beautiful, ugly, fit and trim, or out of shape I will always think that you are perfect - perfect for me. I am here to be your supporter, your confidant, and your best friend. You are my (nickname or other). I have been blessed for the last 25 years and am thrilled that I get to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you."
A few sources say that some parts of a traditional wedding are inappropriate for an older, already-married couple -- such as the bride being walked down the aisle by her father. Instead, you could walk solo, walk with your husband, or, if you have children, walk with them. Who knows? There may not even be an aisle. A ring exchange may be unnecessary, unless you are exchanging new rings or have had your rings refashioned or re- inscribed for the occasion. One site says a wedding gown and veil are not appropriate for a vow renewal, although other sites say to wear what you want. If you have children, you may want to include them by asking them to act as your attendants.
All our sources agreed that you should not request gifts. You don't get to register for new china at a vow renewal, nor can you have another bridal shower. Wedding gifts and showers are intended to give newlyweds the household items they'll need as they start a new life together. A couple renewing their vows is assumed to have enough household clutter already.
Aside from the issue of gifts, you have free reign to plan the event as you see fit. So congratulations and enjoy!
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-16-2004 02:58 PM
Rated G
Useless fact - What makes stars twinkle?
As poetic and mystical as we may find the twinkling of stars in the night sky, sadly, it is merely an illusion. To shed some light on the matter, we visited the links in the Lukol Astronomy category. The twinkling of stars, technically known as stellar scintillation, is due to the very unromantic force known as atmospheric turbulence. Moving pockets of air in the Earth's atmosphere distort the light from the stars.
These pockets of air act like lenses, refracting light in random directions and causing the stars to appear to "twinkle." This cool time-lapse photography helps illustrate the phenomenon.
Stars on the horizon will appear to twinkle more than stars directly overhead. This is because the light has to pass through more of the Earth's atmosphere to reach your eye. The colors of a star are also affected by the refraction of the Earth's atmosphere. A star may appear to change colors rapidly due to atmospheric turbulence. Outside the Earth's atmosphere, the stars don't twinkle. That's why the Hubble Space Telescope is able to capture such clear and amazing photographs of the stars.
So why don't planets also "twinkle"? Well, besides the fact that "twinkle twinkle little planet" just isn't as catchy a song title, planets don't appear to twinkle because they are much nearer to Earth than stars. The planets appear much larger to us, so the "twinkling" effect of refracted light is not nearly as noticeable as it is with stars, which are so far away they appear to be only pinpoints of light. However, if the Earth's atmosphere is particularly turbulent, or you are using a powerful telescope, you may notice the planets doing a little twinkling of their own.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-16-2004 04:04 PM
Rated G
Useless fact - What actually happens when you "crack" your knuckles?
We've all heard the claim that cracking your knuckles will cause permanent injury. But is it really true that a life of arthritis awaits the knuckle-popper addicts among us? To find out we visited the links in the Lukol Arthritis category and learned this:
When you crack your knuckles, you're essentially pushing the joint into or out of its normal position. A thick, clear lubricant called synovial fluid is found in the joints between your bones. When you crack your fingers, you cause the bones to pull apart, and the pressure on the synovial fluid is reduced. Bubbles form and quickly expand and then burst. Snap, crackle, pop go your knuckles!
The bubble forms in a process called "cavitation." Once you've cracked your knuckle, it takes about 25-30 minutes for the gas to dissolve into the joint fluid. During this time, you can't crack the knuckle again. But once the gas is dissolved, cavitation is once again possible, and you can start popping your knuckles to your hand's content.
Okay, now we know what happens when you crack your knuckles, but are you doing serious damage? We read a bit more and discovered that only one in-depth study of the issue has been published. The study focused on 300 habitual knuckle crackers and found no evidence linking knuckle cracking and arthritis. Chronic crackers did suffer other harm, including soft tissue damage and loss of grip strength. This damage is usually minor, however, and cracking your knuckles actually has some benefits -- you'll feel looser and enjoy more mobility in your joints immediately after popping.
[ 01-13-2005, 01:01 PM: Message edited by: Bob Maar ]
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-17-2004 09:40 AM
Rated G
Ueless fact - What is quicksand composed of and where is it found?
According to the links in ever-helpful Lukol Survival category, quicksand is solid ground that's been liquefied, usually by an underground water source. A soupy mix of sand and water, quicksand is usually only a few feet deep. It can be found anywhere that land and water meet, including beaches, marshes, and ponds.
Quicksand is rarely found in deserts, due to the lack of water. It's also not a specific kind of soil -- any area of ground that has been sufficiently soaked with water to the point where it can't support weight can become quicksand. Earthquakes often temporarily liquefy soil, leading to serious structural damage.
Contrary to popular belief, a run-in with a patch of quicksand doesn't spell certain doom. As the Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook reminds us, your body is still less dense than quicksand. While struggling may drag you in deeper, relaxing and floating on your back should do the trick.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-22-2004 12:10 PM
Rated G
Useless fact - What are the requirements to be a police sketch artist?
Here's what we learned from the links in the Lukol Forensic Skills category:
Forensic art (as it is usually called) plays an important role in the criminal justice system. Without that infamous and widely distributed sketch of the Unabomber, the FBI might never have caught Ted Kaczynski. In order to become a forensic artist, a candidate obviously must be able to draw accurate renditions of suspects from verbal descriptions, but they must also be board- certified, trustworthy, and of sound moral character. According to the International Association for Identification (IAI), the leading global organization for all forensic disciplines, a candidate must be certified by its Forensic Art Certification Board. An integral part of the certification process is proof of the artist's rendering, investigative, and intuitive skills. There are two levels of qualification. In order to be a Level-II forensic artist (which requires more credentials than Level-I), the candidate must meet the following requirements:
* 120 hours of education: 80 hours of composite art from an approved school and 40 hours in related courses
* A minimum of five years with a bona fide law enforcement agency
* Five successful composite drawings (hits), including written description of case specifics and how the drawings were completed
* Three letters of recommendation, one from a supervisor certifying the submitted drawing samples
* A written, practical, and verbal exam including an "on the spot" composite sketch based on a pre-selected photographed "suspect"
In addition, an applicant must be of "good moral character, high integrity, good repute, and must possess a high ethical and professional standing." An applicant must also agree to abide by a code of ethics that states that he or she "will use all of the scientific, interviewing and investigative techniques at their command to ascertain all of the significant facts relative to the matters under investigation."
In the United States, forensic artists are also trained in the fields of human anatomy and odontology (study of teeth), age progression, psychology, and, in some cases, 3D imagery. Their talents are called upon for courtroom sketches, "wanted" posters, drafting crime scenes, medical drawings for autopsies, and facial reconstruction from skulls.
Forensic artists have played an important role in the identification of bodies, and also helped police capture elusive criminals, such as serial killer Ted Bundy and Richard Allen Davis, who killed Polly Klaas.
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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)
Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 12-31-2004 05:25 PM
Rated G
Useless fact - How do you know when to use "who" or "whom" in a sentence?
As we learned from the links in the Lukol Language Arts category, this is one of those tricky grammar questions that continues to confound some people. According to the American Heritage Book of English Usage, "Who is used for a grammatical subject, where a nominative pronoun such as I or he would be appropriate, and whom is used as the object of a verb or preposition." For those of us to whom (notice the correct usage of "whom" after a preposition) grammar school is a distant memory, a little basic English review is needed. A nominative pronoun acts as a subject of a verb (Who ate the cake?) or as the subject of a linked verb (Did you see who ate the cake?). A direct object, on the other hand, is the object of a verb (Whom did you call?) or a preposition (He is the person to whom I placed the call).
If the days of diagramming sentences on the blackboard are fuzzy, and subjects and objects swim together in a sea of confusion for you, many sites advise you to simply trust your ear. The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation offers this helpful tip: if you can replace a word with "he" or "she," then it is the subject of the sentence and you should use "who." If you can replace the word with "him" or "her," it is the object and you should use "whom." You might need to rephrase the sentence to make this work.
On the web site of the Meredith College Writing Center, we found another handy rule of thumb -- only pronouns that are objects end in the letter "m" (whom, him, them).
The correct usage of these troublesome pronouns is often ignored in speech and informal writing when the word "whom" would sound forced or unnatural.
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