If You're a Ginger, This Might Interest You

Do you know where you are from?

Red hair is not quite as common as you might think. Only 1–2% of the human population has red hair. It occurs more frequently (2–6%) in people of northern or western European ancestry.

It is estimated that around 2% to 6% of modern northwestern Europeans have red hair. However, it is much rarer in the global population, where it has an average of around 0.6% of the world’s population as a whole. For some reason, the British Isles are a hotspot for red hair. Scotland, for instance, has 13% of its people sporting red hair. However, that is only the tip of the iceberg, because more than 30% of Scots carry the redhead gene. Ireland also has a disproportionate number of people with red hair, as about 10% have red hair. Even more Irish are carriers, though, with as many as 46% being carriers of a red-hair gene. Genetic red hair is much, much rarer in Asia than in Europe, but occasionally some red-haired people can be found in the Near and Middle East.

The map above shows the frequency of red hair across Europe. Odds are that if you have red hair, you're either Scandinavian, from the British Isles, or from the neighborhood of Moscow. It appears the Norsemen of old like Erick the Red spread their favorite color far and wide!

Shirley Manson of Garbage, Marcia Cross, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ron Howard, Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman, Geri Halliwell, Lauren Ambrose, Alyson Hannigan, and Amy Adams are all celebrities who are believed to be natural redheads.




2018

Classic Quotes: "I Am Chelsea Manning. I Am a Female."

Bradley Manning exclusively on Today Show: "I want everyone to know the real me. I am Chelsea Manning. I am a female."





What is the world coming to, when guys like this ... uh, let me rephrase that ... oh, never mind.

2019

Beautiful Ice!

Turquoise Ice, Northern Lake Baikal, Russia. Dress warmly!

These are beautiful natural vistas. You go there and you can see this. Of course, it's not the easiest place to get to, and getting there is not the most comfortable experience you will ever have. But, it is there for anyone to enjoy.

Ice cave, Mutnovsky Volcano, Russia.

I love the vivid colors, and they're all natural. I find them stunning. Of course, you need just the right lighting conditions to bring them out, and the light usually has to be supplied. So, to say they are natural colors is correct, but you usually have to use artificial means to bring them out to their full splendor.

Silverthorne, Colorado.

Next, we have the Ice Castles in Silverthorne, Colorado. Actually, not all that far from me, natural beauty is everywhere if you know where to look for it.

More pictures of Silverthorne are below. This for some is a spot for adventure, for others, a rendezvous for romance.














2019

Amazing Cats!

Grrrrrr.

Cats are amazing! Cats just get so much attention that dogs don't get. Have you ever seen a study about what dog barks do to "healing"? Then there is the theory that cats carry parasites that infect their owners and sedate them or something, making people ... like their cats more. It's just phenomenal the fascination some people have with cats and their effects. But I have spent time around cats, and ... I like cats!

2019

Ancient Hierapolis is Worth a Visit

Pamukkale, Turkey.

Pamukkale, Turkey is a planned district and second level municipality in Denizli Province, Turkey. It contains famous hot springs, also officially named Pamukkale.

Hierapolis (Ancient Greek: Ἱεράπολις, lit. "Holy City") was an ancient city located on hot springs in classical Phrygia in southwestern Anatolia. Its ruins are adjacent to modern Pamukkale in Turkey and currently comprise an archaeological museum designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Though I've been there, I didn't take the picture above (I have my own pictures of it on my other site here. Pamukkale is a beautiful spot, well worth going well out of your way for if you ever visit the nearby historic Turkish coast spots such as Ephesus (highly recommended) or Priene/Miletus/Aphrodisias. It is a bit of a ride inland, which is best accomplished by the very efficient and cheap Turkish bus service, perhaps a couple of hours.

The old Roman ruins just over the cliff above the pools pictured are the icing on the cake if you like Roman history. One of the best-preserved colosseums from the ancient world, and also some earlier and very mysterious tombs. It is very much a desert on the plain above, so be prepared to brave the heat.

The hot springs are drinkable - I drank from them - and taste exactly like the Perrier or other bottled waters you receive at fine restaurants. Going swimming in mineral water is an exquisite experience, enhanced by the heat of the surrounding arid wasteland. You can swim in the pools pictured, or at least you could when I went there. Imagine swimming right up to the edge pictured and looking down toward a farming valley a thousand feet or more below - it is a unique experience.

Let me just put in a plug here for anyone who enjoys traveling - at some point in your life, make some time for Turkey. It's not much further than the usual spots in Central Europe, but it will absolutely spell-bind you if you give it half a chance. You can do it by plane, then cruise ship, rail and/or bus, much easier than renting a car if you put in a little planning aforethought.

2019

The Importance of Water in our Bodies

Water!

Water - it does a body good.

Among other things, our brain is 74.5% water and our muscles are 76% water.

Fluids are the be-all and end-all of the human body. Make sure you drink a lot of water, you'll be better for it.

2019

Upgrade Your Immunity System the Easy Way

Beetroots. Probably not something that you think about a lot.

Among other things, beetroots improve your memory, detoxify your body, are fat-free and give energy, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and improve your immunity system.

I bet you never spent a lot of time thinking about beetroots! But they're terrific for you. This is the kind of thing that, if you could just force yourself to try it and maybe even acquire a taste for it somehow, it could really improve your life. Hey, it's got to be better for you than a Whopper and fries.

You can grow these in your garden if you have one, add it to your salad, and really enjoy it. There's something about food you've grown yourself that makes it tastier. Or, you could get fancy and get one of those juicers and turn it into a drink.

2019

Classic Parody of Star Trek

"Star Drek."

The one, the best, the legend: Star Drek.


In 1975, Bobby "Boris" Pickett recorded a novelty spoof on the original "Star Trek" called "Star Drek" with Peter Ferrara. Pickett, who was famous for the truly monster hit "Monster Mash" in 1962. Pickett performed some of the various voices, which was played on Dr. Demento's radio show for many years.

I realize this is pretty weird stuff, but it's amusing on all sorts of levels if you are a "Star Trek" fan. And I love the nice touches of the period NBC logos before and after! The campy over-use or misuse or whatever you want to call it off the melodramatic background score also is a winner.

Like a, um, bonus, below is the "original" version from 1992, before the digital era. It isn't as polished, but it is kind of clever in its own right, featuring actual clips from the original show. Must have taken a lot of effort to stitch this together from videotape!



Star Drek!

2019

"I looked in those big green eyes and I wondered what I came there for"

Cliff Richard is the Elvis of Great Britain, though he never really broke through in the States. He's a great singer, virtually a musical legend, somebody who is still singing and has been since the 1950s for goodness sakes. His best hit is "Devil Woman." In it, he talks about... a cat.

Devil cat? Who, me?

For absolutely no damn reason except that I like this song, presenting "Devil Woman" by Cliff Richard. There's something about cats, showing the future the past.....

You better get out of there fast!

Cats, it's all about the cats!

"Same cat with those evil eyes."

"I've had nothing but bad luck, since the day I saw the cat at my door...."

"If you're out on a moonlit night, be careful of the neighborhood strays."

Seriously, though, Cliff Richard is a musical god, and this is his best song.




2019

Part of My Continuing Health Campaign...

Just say no! Now I know why mama was eating all that garlic! This is one of those things you'll never know saved you all that trouble. But, if you have any kind of heart issues, this sort of strategy could wind up paying massive dividends for you down the road.

2019