Friday, March 1, 2013


dollars to doughnuts  noun  most assuredly or definitely
Synonyms:  dollars to buttons, dollars to cobwebs, dollars to dumplings, sure bet, sure thing  Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, 3d edition  http://thesaurus.com/browse/dollars+to+cobweb

The original Domesday Book has survived over 900 years of English history and is currently housed in a specially made chest at The National Archives in Kew, London.  This site has been set up to enable visitors to discover the history of the Domesday Book, to give an insight into life at the time of its compilation, and provide information and links on related topics.  http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/

From Frequently Asked Questions about the Domesday Book

What is the Domesday Book?  The Domesday Book is a great land survey from 1086, commissioned by William the Conqueror to assess the extent of the land and resources being owned in England at the time, and the extent of the taxes he could raise.  The information collected was recorded by hand in two huge books, in the space of around a year.  William died before it was fully completed.

Why is it called the 'Domesday' Book?  It was written by an observer of the survey that "there was no single hide nor a yard of land, nor indeed one ox nor one cow nor one pig which was left out".  The grand and comprehensive scale on which the Domesday survey took place (see How it was compiled), and the irreversible nature of the information collected led people to compare it to the Last Judgement, or 'Doomsday', described in the Bible, when the deeds of Christians written in the Book of Life were to be placed before God for judgement.  This name was not adopted until the late 12th Century.  Read much more at:  http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/faqs.html#1

100 Most Influential Books of the Century  copyright 2010 by Shane Sherman  Boston Public Library's list of "The 100 Most Influential Books of the Century". A booklist for Adults.  http://thegreatestbooks.org/lists/42


Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), one of the most recognized figures of the 20th century art who co-created such styles as Cubism and Surrealism, was also among most innovative, influential, and prolific artists of all time.  Recognized as the world's most prolific painter by the Guinness Book of World Records:  during a career that lasted 78 years he produced an estimated 13,500 paintings or designs, 100,000 prints or engravings, 34,000 book illustrations and 300 sculptures or ceramics, making a total of 147,800 works of art.  An estimated 350 of his works have been stolen, more than any other artist.  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0681444/bio

Paperback editions of books are issued when a publisher decides to release a book in a low-cost format.  Cheap paper, glued bindings, and the lack of a hard cover contribute to the inherent low cost of paperbacks.  Paperbacks can be the preferred medium when a book is not expected to be a major seller, or in other situations where the publisher wishes to release a book without putting forth a large investment.  Examples include many novels, and newer editions or reprintings of older books.  Paperbacks include inexpensive mass-market paperbacks, in the standard "pocketbook" format.  These are generally printed on low quality paper, which will discolor and disintegrate over a period of decades.  More expensive "trade paperbacks" in larger formats are printed on quality paper such as acid-free paper.
"A Format" paperbacks are 110mm x 178mm (4.33" x 7.01") in size
"B Format" paperbacks are 129mm x 198mm (5.12" x 7.8")
"C Format" (trade paperbacks) are 135mm x 216mm (5.32" x 8.51")
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paperback 

Size isn't just about the physical dimensions of the book--decisions will have to be made about the size of the typeface or font used for the contents of a book, and the thickness of paper, too.  A lot of A-format paperbacks, the size associated with blockbusters and beach reads, have been "bulked" to produce that apparently highly desirable "brick of a book" look.  Bulking simply involves using thicker kinds of paper.  Slim novellas in B-format might appear even more waif-like were it not for the generous dimensions of the print and the elegantly wide margins of white space on each page.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2001/aug/11/gettingpublished 

Congressional Research Service report for Congress 7-5700 R42944  January 31, 2013
Medicare, Medicaid, and Other Health Provisions in the American Taxpayer Relief
"Several policies that would have reduced spending and increased revenues were poised to take effect at the end of 2012; collectively, these were referred to by some as the “fiscal cliff.”   On January 2, 2013, the President signed H.R. 8, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA, P.L. 112-240), which prevented most—but not all—of the fiscal cliff policies from going into effect.  This Act was passed by the Senate on January 1, 2013 by a vote of 89-8, and by the House later that day, 257-167.  Title VI of the Act extends several expiring provisions in the Medicare and Medicaid programs and makes other changes in federally funded health programs." 

A prominent French architect and structural engineer, Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel (born on December 15, 1832 in Dijon, France) was the second designer of the internal structural elements of the Statue of Liberty.  In his early work designing railway bridges, Eiffel relied on sophisticated mathematical designs renowned for their lightness, grace, and strength.  When the Statue of Liberty's initial internal designer, Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, unexpectedly passed away in 1879, the Franco American Union and Auguste Bartholdi hired Eiffel as his replacement.  While Eiffel praised and retained Viollet-le-Duc's plans for the sculpting and connection of the copper sheets (he would use Viollet-le-Duc's repoussé technique and armature bars), he ultimately changed the initial plans for the interior design in favor of a modern approach.  The Statue's new support system would not rely on weight to support the copper skin but rather a skeletal support system.   Once his plans were approved, Eiffel supervised the Statue's internal construction until its completion in late 1883.  A few years later, Eiffel began his most famous project:  the Eiffel Tower which was completed for Paris's World Fair in 1889.  Eiffel died on December 27, 1923 in Paris, France.  See images at:  http://www.nps.gov/stli/historyculture/alexandre-gustave-eiffel.htm 

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