Peppers Don’t Have to Be Spicy
Bell pepper, also known as sweet pepper, is a non-hot relative of the chile pepper. Like the chile, bell peppers are sometimes dried and powdered in which case they are known as paprika. Bell peppers are available in green, yellow, orange, purple or red with green being the least ripe [……]
NPR Puzzle: Fill in the Blank
THE WEEKLY QUIZ FROM NPR PUZZLEMASTER WILL SHORTZ https://www.npr.org/2023/07/09/1186650754/sunday-puzzle-fill-in-the-blank On-air challenge: Every answer today is a familiar phrase in the form “___ & ___,” in which I’ve changed one letter [……]
Flamingos in the Yucatán Peninsula
There are two main places in Mexico where tourists go to see flamingos. Both are in the Yucatán Peninsula. One is at Celestún on the west coast about an hour and a half’s drive from Mérida. The other is at Río Lagartos on the north coast, about an hour and [……]
Sky Excitement for October
Photo Credit Jeff DeTray In 2023, the Orionids will peak on the night between Oct 21–22 October. Meteor Shower Orionids are active every year in October, usually peaking around October 20/21. At its peak, up to 20 meteors are visible every hour. They are the second meteor shower of the month—the [……]
How the Margarita Got Its Name
Was there a Margarita behind the Margarita? Of course. But contrary to what you may have imagined, this woman was not a Mexican beauty, but instead a fledgling Hollywood starlet. And though other Margarita namesakes have surfaced and vied for this distinction, this starlet has all the trappings of the [……]
Whence the Humble Churro
Of all the foods that transform into something sublime after submersion in hot oil, dough, I humbly submit, reigns supreme. At the very least it wins the dramatic-metamorphosis category. Let’s consider the evidence. You take two of the dullest ingredients in the history of cuisine – flour and water – [……]
Bits & Pieces – October 2023
A little this & that from the media. • Gas prices creep up as subsidies reduced for second week in a row https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/gas-prices-up-fuel-subsidies/ • Road bypass likely for Tulum after launch of new airport and train https://riviera-maya-news.com/road-bypass-likely-for-tulum-after-launch-of-new-airport-and-train/2023.html • Rare statue of Mayan god K’awiil discovered on Maya Train route [……]
Core-Building Exercises
To perform well at virtually any sport, even darts and Ping-Pong!, you need a strong core. A stronger core makes everyday life easier, too, resulting in fewer injuries, better posture and balance, and less back pain. The core stretches from the pelvis all the way up to the neck and [……]