Portable Document Format (PDF), standardized as ISO 32000, is a file format developed by Adobe in 1992 to present documents, including text formatting and images, in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems.  Based on the PostScript language, each PDF file encapsulates a complete description of a fixed-layout flat document, including the text, fonts, vector graphics, raster images and other information needed to display it.  PDF has its roots in "The Camelot Project" initiated by Adobe co-founder John Warnock in 1991.  PDF was standardized as ISO 32000 in 2008. The last edition as ISO 32000-2:2020 was published in December 2020.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDF  

According to a 2013 study published in BMC Journal, sodium and preservatives in processed deli meat can increase the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes.  There are also hidden sugars in many condiments from ketchup, with an average of 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon, to barbecue sauce, which has 6 grams per tablespoon.  Sodium and saturated fats can also be a problem.  According to data gathered by the Journal, sandwiches are the number one source of sodium and saturated fat in Americans' diet, making up one-fifth of our daily sodium intake and 19% of our daily saturated fat calories.  ABC news medical contributor and emergency room doctor Darien Sutton said that "we have to make better choices, learning more and getting more understanding of the value of our diet in relation to our physical health."  Sutton suggested swapping out white bread for something with a whole grain.  "Whole grain is a great source of fiber.  It has antioxidants in it.  Also, it's associated with lowering that [low-density lipoprotein], or that bad cholesterol," he explained.  Sutton also said to swap out processed deli meat, which can be high in nitrates, and substitute it with something like chicken.  "Instead of American cheese, we can switch it out for mozzarella or Swiss cheese.  Finally, he tackled condiments, saying that eliminating mayonnaise alone can cut a lot of calories.  "Instead of mayonnaise--there's no real substitute for it--but if you want the texture, I love hummus," he said.  Kelly McCarthy  https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Food/deli-sandwiches-destroyed-american-diet-healthier-alternatives-swaps/story?id=97932987  

True bagels are boiled briefly before being baked.  (Turn one over:  If it has a grid pattern on the bottom, it was first steamed rather than boiled, and is not a true bagel.)  Chewy, glutinous, and highly caloric, one’s a meal and a very satisfying one, especially when schmeared with cream cheese and layered with lox or another form of cured fish.  Robert Sietsema and Eater Staff  https://ny.eater.com/maps/best-bagels-nyctps://ny.eater.com/maps/best-bagels-nyc

February 13, 2014  Situated on the bleak Adrar Plateau, the city of Chinguetti contains some of the world’s most important Quranic texts amid its simple earthen libraries.  Established around 777 AD, Chinguetti became an important trading outpost on the Timbuktu caravan route to the Mediterranean.  At the same time it became a gathering place for Islamic pilgrims on their way to Mecca.  With the steady traffic of holy people through the city, a large, stone mosque was built and small libraries were founded to contain the growing number of religious texts left behind.  Preserving the tradition of trading and passing down such holy writings, most of the original Chinguetti libraries exist in largely the same state as when they were deposited.  Today there are five such libraries left in Chinguetti containing some 1,300 Quranic manuscripts, as well as civil records including contracts, bills of sale, and legal judgments.  The dry desert air and dedication of generations of custodians have helped preserve the fragile parchments, often rolled inside bamboo tubes.  https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-libraries-of-chinguetti-chinguetti-mauritania 

The Adrar (Arabic: هضبة آدرار, Berber for "mountain") is a highland natural and historical region of the Sahara Desert in northern Mauritania.  The Adrar Region, an administrative division of Mauritania, is named after the traditional region.  It is sometimes called Adrar Tamar to distinguish it from other areas called Adrar in the Sahara.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrar_Plateau   

Humans use about 1.2 million plastic bottles per minute in total.  Approximately 91% of plastic is not recycled.  Roughly half of our global annual plastic production is destined for a single-use product.  Five trillion plastic bags are produced worldwide annually.  It can take up to 1,000 years for a bag to disintegrate completely.  Americans throw away 100 billion bags annually– that’s the equivalent to dumping nearly 12 million barrels of crude oil!  By switching to reusable shopping bags, we can eliminate that waste– which amounts to about 307 bags per person.  Americans alone use half a billion drinking straws every day.  https://www.earthday.org/fact-sheet-single-use-plastics/  Single-use plastic bags are banned in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New York and Vermont. 

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com  Issue 2658  April 17, 2023