Through the Keyhole - March 2022

 

IT Services - Business Consulting - Digital Marketing MAR 2022 Through the Keyhole Take a break from your day... Not your typical company OR newsletter

"This is the second richest city in Asia per capita and is home to many production facilities for the field of technology.  The city offers free wifi to everyone living and visiting there.  And what's more, you don't need a visa from the US to travel there.  You must watch out for Big Brother, however, as he looms large." Can you guess the location? Hello March. A little St. Patrick's Day knowledge... In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a much more religious holiday, not unlike Christmas or Easter here in the U.S. St. Patrick is a hero in Ireland. There are roughly 60 churches and cathedrals named after him in Ireland including the most famous cathedral, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, in Dublin. These grounds bear the mark of the place where St. Patrick is said to have baptized his converts. Guinness sales explode on St. Patrick’s Day. Recent figures estimate that 5.5 million pints of the black brew are downed around the world every day. However, on St. Patrick’s Day that figure is doubled. To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, roughly 110 million people will be wearing green, making an Irish-inspired meal, or going out to celebrate. In 1948 President Truman became the very first president to attend a St. Patrick’s Day parade. Green is associated with Saint Patrick’s Day these days because it is the color of spring in Ireland, and of the shamrock. However, historically green was NOT the color most often associated with St. Patrick’s Day. In fact, Green was actually considered unlucky. Blue was the color most people thought of when they considered St. Patrick. As it turns out, blue was considered symbolic of Ireland for many centuries and the Irish Presidential Standard is still blue to this day. St. Patrick was not actually Irish. He was from Wales. The very first St. Patrick’s Day parade was not held in Ireland. Believe it or not, It was in Boston in 1737. Go Celts!! The shamrock was originally used as a teaching tool. St. Patrick is said to have used the three-leaved plant to explain the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) to the pagan Irish. 15 million cards are handed out on St. Patrick’s Day. And of that total, almost 10 percent of all St. Patrick’s Day cards are sold in New York. There are 19 U.S. Presidents who proudly claim Irish heritage — including our first President, George Washington. Over 100 U.S. cities hold a parade every year. The biggest and most noteworthy St. Patrick’s Day parades are in Chicago, Illinois and Savannah, Georgia. Speaking of the Chicago, the Plumbers Local 110 union dyes the river “Kelly” green, however, the dye only lasts for about five hours at a time. And one little known fact.  I marched in the 1985 St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin with the Wheeling High School Marching Band.  What a fun trip.  Had my first beer...in Ireland. And every year my good friend Shannon Schweiger and her husband Tom throw the best get togethers! Now go impress your friends by dropping some serious knowledge on them over a green beer OR 12. And Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you all!! What are MENTIONS? You may be seeing @mentions in Teams or your email... I just wanted to suggest the use of Mentions in Microsoft communication products like Teams and Outlook. If you are unfamiliar, this is just entering the @ symbol and then selecting the user you are mentioning in a chat or email. You can use mentions for users or groups.   This is especially useful in group chats in Teams and bringing the attention of a user to something you are posting. See this link for more information: Use @mentions to get someone's attention in Teams (microsoft.com)   This can also be used in emails in Outlook, and you can use filters or simply look for the @ symbol to bring your attention to emails that pertain to you in your inbox. See this link for more information: Use @mentions to get someone's attention (microsoft.com)   Here is an example using the mention of @TURNkey Company Guess the Location Game Last month the winner of the guess the location game was Jan Cunningham who guessed the right answer.  I appreciate all of the participation.  THANKS FOR PLAYING! ANSWER: OKC, Oklahoma "One of the sunniest cities in America with one of the lowest cost of living, this place is equidistant from LA and NYC.  Known as "The Big Friendly" Autie Em may be spotted whirling around... " OKC is a really great city.  Here are some things you may not have known... 1. It’s One of the Sunniest Cities in America Oklahoma City gets more than 300 days of sun every year. You can always count on this place for great weather! 2. The Cost of Living Is One of the Lowest in the USA If you’re looking for life on a budget, this city is ideal. Here, you’ll pay out less than you would in almost any other city in the US. 3. You Can Test Your Detective Skills in Escape Rooms If you’re looking for something a little different to do while you’re in town, you can try your hand at an escape room. 4. It’s Equidistant From Los Angeles and New York Oklahoma City sits right in between these two major cities. If you’re ever on a major road trip between the two, it’s an essential stopover!  5. The Capitol Building Is on an Oil Rig The Oklahoma State Capitol building is the only one in the world that sits on top of an active oil well. Just to make it clear, it even has an oil rig right in front of it! 6. It Has 2 Nicknames Many Oklahoma City residents refer to their hometown as OKC. However, it’s also acquited a new name due to its reputation for friendly residents. These days, many people call it ‘The Big Friendly’.  7. Parking Meters Started Here The first-ever parking meter was in Oklahoma City.  It was installed in the 1930s as a way to curb parking downtown and cost 5 cents an hour.  8. It Once Had 5 Tornadoes in 1 Day Oklahoma City experiences more tornadoes than any other city in the USA. On June 8, 1974, it even saw 5 different tornadoes – making a new world record for tornado strikes in a single day. 9. Its Name Translates to ‘Red People’ In the Choctaw language, ‘Okla’ means ‘people’ and ‘humma’ is ‘red’. This makes it ‘land of the red people’.  10. It’s Home to a Famous Ghost Legend has it that the Skirvin Hilton Hotel, which is the longest-standing in the city at over 100 years old, has a resident ghost. Locals say it’s haunted by the ghost of Effie, a housekeeper who leaped to her death from the top floor many years ago.  Even NBA players have attested to her hauntings, saying they’ve heard floorboards creaking, doors slamming and even babies crying in the night when no one else is around.  I have never been to OKC but from what I see and hear, I would really like to go...  Even though she's vegan in OKC, it's a good tour ~10 min. People talk about living in OKC ~ 8 min.  ~8 min. Randomness. Golden Ticket for a girl gone too soon... 7 minutes that is worth your time. Very heartwarming... 19 point U-TURN Watch ~1 minute A boy and his cars... Autism and focus ~ 6 minutes Joe Rogan and the media... Interesting truth. ~ 2 minutes Men vs. Women Interesting observations (not necessarily mine). NICKNAME If Laura, Kate, and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah. If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Bubba, and Wild man. EATING OUT When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back. When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators. MONEY A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs . A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale. BATHROOMS A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel. The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items. ARGUMENTS A woman has the last word in any argument..Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument. FUTURE A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband. A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife. MARRIAGE A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't. A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does. DRESSING UP A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail. A man will dress up for weddings and funerals. NATURAL Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed Women somehow deteriorate during the night. OFFSPRING Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears, and hopes and dreams. A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house. A married man should forget his mistakes. There's no use in two people remembering the same thing! How's your day going? Operation London Bridge in 120 seconds Edgy. More Nonsense... Perfect Corned Beef This is not an Irish thing. It's American. Ingredients 5 carrots, cut into thirds 5 potatoes, peeled and quartered 1 (12 ounce) bottle of irish beer 5 -6 lbs corned beef brisket 1 medium headof cabbage, cored and quartered 2 onions, peeled and quartered 5 peppercorns 2 bay leaves Directions Rinse a beef brisket in cold water to remove any brine and place into a large pot. Pour beer over the brisket and add water until the meat is covered by the liquid. Add onions, bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring to a rolling boil. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low for a gentle boil. Cook for 4 hours or until meat is fork-tender, skimming foam occasionally. Add carrots, potatoes and place cabbage quarters on top of the meat. Cook for an additional half-hour until the vegetables are tender. Turn off heat. Remove the brisket from the broth and allow it to rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board.  Slice against the grain in 1/4-inch-thick strips. Enjoy your Americanized St. Patrick's Day!  All rights reserved.