"Big Nosed Horn Face"

Science Fridays 

Post # 82  

      How would you like to go around with that for a name?  "Hey, Big Nosed Horn Face, I need to borrow a five spot."  It sounds like one of those horrible names in the genealogy list at the beginning of Groenlendirssaga.  In that old list of people from the Norse colony in Greenland, two that stand out to me are Aud the Mindful, and Kettil Flat-nose.  I wouldn't want to go around with names like that either.  Then of course there's that other viking, Ivar the Boneless.  His very name floods my otherwise acceptably normal brain with very weird images. 
      Big Nosed Horn Face wasn't a Viking though.  It was a dinosaur - a recently discovered/uncovered dinosaur found in the fossil fields of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah.  He wouldn't have had to put up with a name like that then, because we wouldn't have been around to call him that.  But, if we were, we wouldn't be asking him to loan us a fiver.  It might be more on the lines with "Hey Big Nosed Horn Face, go get me that bus" or if he was in redneck territory, it would be more like "Wontcha see if you can go tip that bus over."   

      Big Nosed Horn Face is the English translation of its scientific and official name, Nasutoceratops titusi.  The second part of the name, "titusi" is in honor of Alan Titus, a palaeontologist at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and long time supporter of research at the site. 
      The Nasutoceratops lived in the late Cretaceous on Laramidia.  Laramidia was an ancient landmass in what is now north western North America.  Laramidia was a swampy, subtropical island that took up almost a third of the present day North America.  It was related to the Triceratops, and was about half the size of the much larger "Three Horned Face."  It was about 15 feet long and weighed in at about two and a half tons.  That is still not small. 
      Like all of the Ceratopsians, Nasutoceratops was a herbivore.  It had a frilly plate extending out of its head over the back of its neck.  This plate wasn't very good for protection though, because it had two large openings in it.  It was more like the framework for a plate or shield, and wouldn't have been very good against an "ash rain" of a spear and arrow volley thrown by vikings such as Kettil Flat-nose, and Ivar the Boneless.  Its plate was most likely used for display during mating rituals, and the skin in the plate openings would be flushed with blood to change its colors. 
      The astonishing difference between the Nasutoceratops and his other "horned face" relatives is the size of its nose.  Compared to the rest of it body that nose was huge. The description of Naustoceratops was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, just a couple of days ago, on July 17. 

      The researchers still don't have a clear explanation for the size of its big nose.  It is not for enhanced smell, as the nasal channels are not laid out for olfactory acuteness.  This was confirmed by Scott Sampson, of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the lead author in the study.  My educated guess on the reason for it would be to augment the sound of its call. 

Pluto's Newly Discovered Moons

Post # 81 

      Take that Niel DeGrasse Tyson.  After he and his team of heartless cohorts declassified Pluto as a planet, Pluto has been discovered to have some qualities that are very characteristic of a "real" planet.  Namely, Pluto has been discovered to have multiple moons.  
      Actually I really like Niel DeGrasse Tyson.  His show is awesome.  He teaches the public basic scientific principles in a way that is engaging.  He also has a penchant for showcasing some of the new techs and breakthroughs.  His specialty, however is astronomy.  It was in this capacity that he and a group of other astronomers made the decision to declassify Pluto and other very small planets from their planet status.   According to what I heard Niel say, there was a  lot of angry fan mail over the decision.  Actually what they did was make new levels of classification, the planetoids and the planetesimals.  That didn't seem to matter to many people.  They liked their Pluto.  They spent a long time memorizing it in the list of planets.  For some people reprogramming their memory banks is as difficult as trying to reprogram their old Commodore 80 computer to function like a modern Mac, or even an I-Phone.  

      He explained the decision on an episode of MPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me.  "Saturn has moons bigger than Pluto."  Pretty simple explanation.  There are actually so many little planetoids and planetesimals being discovered on a regular basis that it actually obscures the significance of Pluto.  Some of the better known ones are Xena, Zenn, Santa, Sedna,  Quaor, and Orcus.  Sedna has a very elliptical orbit that at times comes close to Pluto, and extends half way to the edge of the Oort Cloud, and takes about 10,000 years to orbit the sun.  Xena is also very elliptical and at times more distant than Pluto, and sometimes moves in closer than Pluto.  Another planetoid was discovered even beyond Sedna.  It has the glamourous name of 1998 WW31. 
      My favorite episode with Niel DeGrasse Tyson wasn't on Nova Science Now.  It was actually an episode of Stargate Atlantis.  He played himself along side of Bill Nye.  My favorite part was when he and Nye were arguing with Rodney MacKay, and Dr. Keller told them to knock off the bickering and said "Stuff it Nye."  
      Anyway, back to Pluto.  Way back in elementary school, when we memorized Pluto as one of the planets, we also learned of Pluto's moon, Charon.  Pluto and Charon, Pluto and Charon.  Our teachers had us recite it so many times that it is firmly etched into the neurons of my prefrontal cortex.  Well folks, it's finally time to exchange that information you have stored in that Commodore 80 you call a brain (I know - it's not fair to say that - a good number of people have at least a Mac II E in their heads) and trade it in for a bigger and better computer, with more complete information.  It's time for an upgrade.  You need to download an update to your program.  Pluto has a total of five moons, not just Charon. 

                                                          An image from the Hubble

      Having a moon isn't completely special, and doesn't make a heavenly body stand out so much.  Even the tiny asteroid Ida, has an even tinier moon, Dactyl.  Having a crap load of moons, however, that almost changes up the game - almost.  It's like Pluto is out there in his chilly little area of existence screaming out, "Look at me.  I am so a real planet.  Please don't declassify me Niel DeGrasse Tyson and his accomplices.  I have five moons.  I really am a real planet, so take that."  "Sorry Pluto.  I'd hate to give you a complex here, but,.... you're just too little.  You can't sit at the big table with all the adults, but will have to sit at the card table in the other room with all the kids."    

                                  An artist's rendition of Pluto with five orbiting moons

      Astronomers have finally given names to these moons they discovered.  They are, in the order of their orbits: Charon, Styx, Nix, Kerberos (named after the three headed dog, Cerberus who guards Plutonium, the gates to Hell.  I find it odd that Hell would have a need for a bouncer.  But I guess that since people are dying to get in there.... No I'm not sorry for that one), and Pluto's last moon is Hydra.  Some of these moons are almost the size of Pluto.  
      Pluto might have a boatload of moons, but those moons still don't make Pluto a full fledged planet in good standing.  It's just too little. 

Freshly Baked Bread, Smells Great and Tastes Even Better

Post # 80

      I mentioned that last weekend we had several skills workshops up at my place.  I also mentioned that the historical reenactment group who actually hosted this event event calls this event a Muster.   Col. Shawn Gaffney's Regiment of Shotte and Pike has two such musters per year.  They have one in the spring, and one in the mid summer.  At these musters the soldiers and the camp followers can all work on their skills to be better reenactors, and from that be better interpreters to the public.  They learn the skills that any Scotsman would know if he was living in the Highlands in and around 1630.  
      People got various things checked off of their lists for different interpreter levels.  One young lad had done enough to take his second level quiz, and another person completed all she needed for her third level mastery.  Huzzah.  
      One of the workshops was on baking bread in a wood fired oven (not necessary for any of the levels, but a good, rounded education should include things that are not on the test).  It turned out awesome.  We ate almost all of it up while it was still hot and fresh out of the oven, and had it with supper.  There was very little left by morning, but we did each get one more piece with breakfast. 
      There are two schools of thought on fresh bread.  Some people like the very heavy, and kind of doughy breads like a sourdough recipe, and there are other bakers who strive to make the bread as light and airy as possible.  Personally, I always strive for the second, which is more difficult to attain in a wood fired oven, but if you are careful with your recipe and with your fire, it is very possible.  
      I ran this particular workshop and made a whole wheat bread.  Getting the oven ready is the first thing that must be done.  I started the fire before I ever even began mixing up the dough.  This is because it takes a long time for the heat to penetrate the brick walls of the oven so that the bricks will maintain an even heat long enough to bake bread.  I started a moderate fire in each of the two fire compartments, got them burning good, and then started making the dough. 

These are old photos of the oven that were taken while the oven was being built.  Note the two fire boxes.  

      About ten years ago I read a book about using a wood fired oven of this variety when we were first thinking about building one.  We took notes on things, because we had to hurry up and read it and then give it back to the owner.  The book was borrowed.  Sorry, that I can't tell you anything about the author or name of the book.  We just wrote down the information we needed.  The book was in German besides.  It's a good thing that I read that language fluently.  The book mentioned the importance of getting the fire ready.  It also mentioned that once you got the fire going you could cook in it for a long time afterward, but you have to cook things in there in a certain, specific order.  
      The book suggested to get many of the things all ready so that once you got going, you could pretty much continue baking in it for most of the day.  Basically, you start with the things that bake faster and with a hotter fire, such as cookies, and scones.  After that you move on to cakes, pies and short breads (all these things so far can be made in advance).  After those come the breads, beginning with the light and fluffy breads, and then moving on to the heavier breads like the sourdoughs.  Finally, the oven can still be used for the baked dishes (what we in Minnesota call a "hot dish," but others call a casserole I think).  Some day I would like to do that with this oven.  
      I would like to give you a recipe for the bread, but I really can't.  This is because I don't use one anymore.  In fact, when I stopped using a recipe for my bread, the bread started to turn out much better.  I can at least give you an ingredient list with basic instructions.  

Warm water, kind of warm to the touch, but not hot.  
Active, dry yeast
Some sugar

Mix these three ingredients and set them to the side to get them started  

Milk - get it heated up in a sauce pan, but don't boil it.  Just get it real hot.  

Shortening or lard
Salt, and
More sugar

Mix them in the mixing bowl.  When the milk gets hot add it to the bowl.  it will melt up the shortening/lard. 

Add whole wheat flour and also white flour with a higher gluten content.  You need the gluten, otherwise you won't get the bread to rise right or stick together at all without crumbling.  About two thirds of your flour should be bread flour. 

Add an egg (or two for a bigger batch)  Don't try to stir it all up yet. 

Add some cold water
Add the yeast mixture that should have doubled in size by now.  

Now you can start mixing a little, but not thoroughly (you can't add more water if it's completely mixed.  If it seems like it will be too dry still, and stiff then add a little bit more water.  Mix some more, add more water, and mix again.  Do this until it feels right.  Once it feels right, mix it like a crazy man with a good, solid, metal spoon.  Use that spoon like a dough hook.  The dough should still be sticky.  As it rises, the flour particles will soak up the moisture, and it will get more dry, and less sticky.  

Let the dough rise in the bowl for about an hour.  Cover the bowl and go tend to the fire.  

After an hour, pull the dough out and only put flour on the counter to keep it from sticking to it, and cut it and shape it into loaves.  Put the loaves on something (I use a baking sheet), and cover them with a towel.  Let the loaves rise for about another hour.  They will have just about tripled in size.  

Go tend the fire some more.  

When the loaves are ready put them into the oven, and pay attention to the heat as the bread cooks.  It takes about 35 to 40 minutes to cook.  Pull the bread from the oven with a piel. When you pull them from the oven check for the "hollow" sound. 

Pass the Muster

Post # 79 



      Sometimes we hear the phrase, "pass the muster."  The has no relationship at all with a similar sounding phrase that might be heard around a table full of bratwurst being "pass the mustard."  This second phrase is gastronomical, whereas the one I'm talking about has a military term as its roots.  It is related to the term, "Muster the troops."  
      In its simplest terms the word muster means to gather or to assemble a group of soldiers or an entire army.  Under feudalism a noble was required from time to time to muster a group of soldiers and knights for his overlord, or liege.  This practice dates back at least as far as the dark ages, such as in Anglo-Saxon England.  The size of the required body of fit, fighting men to be mustered depended largely on the size of the estates of the particular noble.  Under the agreements of their vassalage, those lords with larger holdings were required to muster larger bodies of soldiers.  
      Sometimes someone would come through a region to get new recruits, usually as mercenaries for a different country.  An example of this was Johann Spens, who in 1629 got permission from the British crown to recruit and hire mercenaries throughout Scotland for King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden to fight for him in what was known then as "the Holy Warres of Germany" (the Thirty Years War).  Sometimes even local nobles of sorts would be allowed to recruit their own regiments of mercenaries on behalf of Johann Spens and the Swedish King.  McKay did this and had his own regiment in the service of Gustavus Adolphus, and so did Alexander Hamilton (not to be confused with the man of the same name who was shot by Aaron Burr over 180 years later).  
      They would go into a town and a sergeant or some officer would cry out.  They would promise riches, gold and glory.  Since the areas they went through were extremely economically depressed during that time, the six Riksdalers per month sounded like a good idea at the time.  One by one men would come up to a table they had set up, and would take a soldier's oath.  They would be given a small sum as a recruiting bounty (an incentive), and would be allowed to go home for a short while to set their houses in order before departing to fight in the "Warres."  The time allowed for doing this was usually about a fortnight (two weeks).  When the fortnight was over they were expected appear at a preordained muster camp (with penalty of law to back them up).   At this muster the men would train in their weapons for a short time before moving on to the next community.  Eventually Spens shipped them all over to Sweden to get ready for the invasion with other mercenaries, and with levied regular army.  
      In later periods mustering troops is the same as gathering them.    It could also often involve training and drilling.  
      In the world of historical reenactments, there are sometimes events that are called Musters (for military reenactments).  These are basically a gathering of reenactment groups who portray specific units, and and are for specific timelines.  

      17th Century groups have musters, such as the annual one that is hosted at Historic St, Maries City.  In this event groups portraying various units gather together.  They drill together, they strut their stuff, and there is often a battle reenactment or a tactical demonstration too.  Some 18th century events are called musters also.  I don't know if War of 1812, or Civil War reenactors have musters or not.  
      One reenactment group that I belong to has two events per year that they call musters.  In these events they are a time for the members of the regiment to gather together and drill.  They are also a time to have reenacting skills workshops, or classes.  The members are all taught and display skills that everyone during their period would have known.  There are classes on things like proper period correct clothing, how to interpret properly for the public, how to use the various weapons safely and correctly, fire starting, cooking period correct foods, and even things like spinning wool.  Period dance and music are also included.  

  Members all participate in these skills workshops, and they get checked off for them as they get completed.  These musters are designed to make the members better reenactors. 

      I am at one of these events this weekend.  We have had a full schedule of workshops, and we will still have many more.  I have been at all the workshops so far, and I have even run some of them (such as "creating a believable, and correct persona")  Since we have much more to go, I have to go get back out there.