Happy 5th of July!
I
wanted to get this newsletter out today as it probably would have been
lost last week in the rush to get out for the 4th of July. I hope
everyone had a great time and you did not blow any digits off while
lighting fireworks...
2016
is officially half over and the best is yet to come. This month, we
celebrate the 4th of July and all of the things that go along with
summer - baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and cars made in Mexico and Japan
(and you thought I was going to say Chevrolet). Most of us went to a
parade, had a BBQ and then watched some fireworks.
Did
you know that the 4th of July was celebrated in the 1800s by parades,
public readings of the Declaration of Independence, and artillery
salutes? Fireworks were also part of early celebrations as well as over
14,000 of them countrywide today. Since 1870 the 4th of July has
officially been a FEDERAL Holiday (the others being New Year's Day,
Veteran's Day and Christmas Day).
Some tidbits of knowledge about the 4th of July:
Thomas Jefferson changed the wording of the Declaration of
Independence from "the pursuit of property" to "the pursuit of
happiness"
Only two men signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th 1776 — John Hancock and Charles Thompson
In 1776, about 2.5 million people lived in the United States verses 311.7 million people in 2011
An estimated 150 million hot dogs will be consumed on July 4th.
The oldest, continuous Independence Day celebration in the United
States is the 4th of July Parade in Bristol, Rhode Island; it began in
1785.
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826
Last month's winner of the "guess the location" game
was Joe McGonagall with the correct response of "some mosque" - very clever and yet the closest guess. Thanks for playing. More about
the location below...
And
now for a new picture above- Can you
guess where it is by looking through the keyhole? "This city is a stark
contrast to the rest of its country let alone it's continent. Therein
lies the attraction and you don't even have to wear a cape to
explore it. At the very southern tip of its continent, the level of
sophistication is astounding in this otherwise WILD place." Can you
guess the location?
Correct answers will be given recognition but half the fun is trying to figure
it out. The correct answer will be revealed in the subsequent
issue. Good luck and have fun.
If you like this newsletter, forward it to someone else or sign them up HERE.
As always, send any items you think are newsworthy, interesting or just plain
odd to news@turnkey.pro
The Blue Mosque in Istanbul - Keyhole Answer
"You have to cover your legs and women
their heads before entering this blue place. Six Minarets decorate this
building and can be heard for miles around. "
To
begin with, my thoughts and prayers go out to all those who lost their
lives in the Istanbul airport terrorist attacks. It is never my
intention to choose a location that could be controversial in any way.
This is meant to be a lighthearted, fun communication and it is sad that
there is pretty much no corner of the world that is truly safe from
these kinds of attacks.
A
few years ago, I had the privilege to travel to Europe just before the
"Arab Spring". At that time, my wife and I visited this historic place
called the Blue Mosque (Called Sultanahmet Camii in Turkish). This
place is a big tourist attraction and something to be seen. I would
highly recommend getting a tour escort in Istanbul so that you can
maneuver throughout this massive city of about 18 million (feels like
about 40 million). The City is on the Bosphorus River which is the
border of Europe and Asia. A very interesting and mystical place...
One
of the things that strikes you as you walk up to this massive structure
is the amount of people mulling around. The crowds are huge and there
are lines to get in. If you have a guide, the process of touring is
much faster (you jump the queue) and the guides are full of knowledge.
Women must cover their heads and legs and the men must also cover their
legs. Shoes are not allowed.
The mosque is known for its blue
tiles surrounding the walls of interior design. It was built between
1609 and 1616 (JUST 7 YEARS), during the rule of Ahmed I. It also
contains his tomb, a madrasa (school for Islam) and a hospice. This
place is an active mosque, so it is closed to non worshipers for a half
hour or so during five daily prayers.
Just before each of the five daily prayers, you cannot miss the call to prayer that sounds and looks like this (YouTube).. It
is a bit odd to be part of (if you are not Muslim). The towers or
minarets that surround the mosque are a symbol of importance and where
the call to prayer is broadcast from. The more minarets, the more
important the mosque. When the building was constructed, Ahmed ordered
the 6 minarets which caused a bit of a stir because that is the same
number at the mosque of the Ka'aba in Mecca (the main place of worship
where all mosques of the world face). Ahmed overcame this presumptuous
stance by ordering a seventh minaret be built at the Mecca mosque.
Also
part of the general grounds is the Hippodrome. This object is what is
left of a social center of Constantinople (I know this gets confusing)
where they used to race horses and chariots. When you see it, you
picture Charlton Heston in Ben-Hur racing a chariot (see clip here). At least that is what I thought. It must have been quite the spectacle.
As
90% of all people from Istanbul are Muslim, a trip to the Blue Mosque
offers a unique opportunity to peer into their world in a welcome
fashion.
Rick Steeves (video tour)Local guide to the Blue Mosque (private video tour)Prayer Rituals (interesting explanation of Muslim prayer)   Men must wash up before prayers.      
Parking Garages just got Cheaper
 Thanks
to technology, parking just got cheaper. Just use this site or app for
Android and iPhone users and you will unlock some good parking deals.
Enter the location you are going to and you will find bargains for
parking ANYWHERE. Chicago, New York, Miami, even St. Louis - any US
City...
visit site here
How Memes become Memes
original picture above
3 hacking techniques that you need to watch out for...
Here
is another really common sense way to protect yourself. Spend 3
minutes and hear what WGN news has to say about your security on the
web...
video here
Never Lose Your Reading Glasses Again...
 cool product video
These readers fit right on the back of your cell phone and you will never misplace them again (unless you lose your phone)...
Buy here
10 Things Millennials Buy Far More Often Than Everyone Else
complete article1) Gas Station Food
2) Same Day Delivery
3) Hot Sauce
4) Snakes (really?)
5) Athleisure
6) Organic Food
7) Tattoos and Piercings
8) Energy Drinks
9) Donations at the cash register
10) Craft Booze
Surfing Office Dog Competition Video
Quotable “Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves
responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.” - Sigmund Freud
Recipe of the Month - perfect for summer
I
have to admit that I really don't like fruit salad. However, this one
is a great recipe and has a twist to it - there is a citrusy dressing
that marinates the fruit. Give it a try... you may just be the next hit
at the party.
"The
perfect fruit salad for a backyard bbq or any occasion. There are never
leftovers! This is one of my favorite fruit salad recipes, as I think
the sauce really makes it. This salad is tastier the longer you can let
it soak in its juices. I prefer 3 to 4 hours in the refrigerator before I
serve it. Enjoy."
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups cubed fresh pineapple
- 2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 3 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
- 3 bananas, sliced
- 2 oranges, peeled and sectioned
- 1 cup seedless grapes
- 2 cups blueberries
Directions
- Bring
orange juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, orange zest, and lemon zest to a
boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low,
and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat,
and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.
- Layer the fruit in a large, clear glass bowl in this order:
pineapple, strawberries, kiwi fruit, bananas, oranges, grapes, and
blueberries. Pour the cooled sauce over the fruit. Cover and refrigerate
for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
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