I did not know that yesterday!

Basel II is a round of deliberations by central bankers from around the world, under the auspices of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) in Basel, Switzerland, aimed at producing uniformity in the way banks and banking regulators approach risk management across national borders. The Bank for International Settlements (often confused with the BCBS) supplies the secretariat for the BCBS and is not itself the BCBS.

An earlier accord, Basel I, adopted in 1988, is now widely viewed as outmoded.

The Basel II deliberations began in January 2001, driven largely by concern about the arbitrage issues that develop when regulatory capital requirements diverge from accurate economic capital calculations.

Basel II recommends "three pillars" - risk appraisal and control, supervision of the assets & monitoring of the financial market - to bring stability to the financial system.

Basel II implementation involves identifying credit risk, market risk, operational risk, etc. and then allocating adequate capital to cover potential loss. Technical terms involved are PD [probability of default], EL [expected loss], EAD [exposure at default], etc. calculation of which requires advanced data management with relevant
software.

Originally published in 2001, a final version was issued in June 2004. Implementation of the Accord is expected by 2008.

The latest version also aims at: 1. Ensuring that capital allocation is risk sensitive. 2. Separating operational risk from credit risk, and quantifying both 3. Attempting to converge economic and regulatory capital.

I always wondered why these three little letters appear next to misspellings and other mistakes. As with many grammatical issues, I learned that Latin is to blame."Sic" is Latin for "thus." Yeah, that didn't clear it up for me either. But apparently, since the 1880s, writers have used [sic] next to quotations that include errors.

This little notation means, "Hey, I know this quote looks wrong, but it was that way when I found it, so don't blame me." Maybe the original text used archaic spelling or the original writer just messed up. But the person who's quoting that text is aware of the earlier mistake and wants you to know it.

[Sic] is shorthand for all that, at least to scholarly types.

The Singapore Sling is a cocktail that was invented by Mr. Ngiam Tong Boon for the Raffles Hotel in Singapore sometime between 1910 and 1915. At one point in time the recipe fell into disuse and was actually forgotten by all of the current bar-staff. The recipe currently used by the hotel (and repeated below) was the result of recreating the original recipe based on the memories of former bartenders and some written notes that they were able to discover.


Ingredients
1 1/2 US fluid ounce (45 ml) gin
1/2 US fluid ounce (15 ml) Cherry Herring brandy
1/4 US fluid ounce (8 ml) Cointreau
1/4 US fluid ounce (8 ml) Benedictine
4 US fluid ounces pineapple juice
1/2 US fluid ounce (15 ml) lime juice
1/3 US fluid ounce (10 ml) grenadine
dash bitters
Shake with ice.
Strain into an ice filled collins glass. Garnish with
cherry and slice of pineapple.

After dropping a few quarters at The Video Game Nostalgia Zone, I jumped over to Nintendo Land's exhaustive catalog of Mario sightings. The dexterous, mustachioed plumber made his first appearance in 1981's Donkey Kong. In the Japanese version of the game, he was referred to as "Jumpman." Jumpman came to America and became Mario. So how did Nintendo settle on Mario? It turns out that the name came as a tribute to Mario Segali, the Italian landlord of the Nintendo of America building in New York. The character's full name, however, is Mario Mario.

Donkey Kong was a huge arcade hit, selling over 65,000 machines in the U.S. Its sequel, Donkey Kong Jr., was the only Mario game to feature Mario as a (gasp!) bad guy. Mario really hit his stride in 1983's Mario Bros. That game also marked the debut of his trusty sibling, Luigi.

All told, Mario has appeared in about 77 games, including everything from educational titles like "Mario: Fun with Numbers" to "Mario Golf." He is truly the everyman of the video game world. Long live the little guy.

English is a complex language full of rules, exceptions, and exceptions to those exceptions. Simple ways to keep track are as rare as the rules are many. Remembering that your principal is your pal and that you can't get "there" without "here" are handy, but what about the oft-confused i.e. and e.g.? Read on for a simple way to remember the difference.

While they certainly look similar, their meanings are distinct. Basically, i.e. means "in other words" and e.g. means "for example." You can use i.e. to clarify and simplify: "We hope you read my blog! because it's an entertaining way to learn new things (i.e., it's fun)." E.g. comes in handy to back up statements with examples: "There are a lot of fun things you can do on the Web (e.g., read my blog!)."

As for tricks to remember which one to use when you're in the middle of a speech and have to think fast, think of e.g. as shorthand for "example given" and, as this page suggests, i.e. for "in effect." Of course, if you're still not sure, you can simply avoid using them altogether. Notice how we never use semicolons?

Much like the first telegraph or phone call, the first email marked an historic moment in the evolution of communication. Unfortunately, the message itself was less than earth shattering. The text of that first electronic missive consisted of "something like QWERTYUIOP." Sent by computer engineer Ray Tomlinson in 1971, the email was simply a test message to himself. The email was sent from one computer to another computer sitting right beside it in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but it traveled via ARPANET, a network of computers that was the precursor to the Internet.

Working for Bolt Beranek and Newman (the company picked by the U.S. Defense Department to build ARPANET), Tomlinson had been fooling around with two programs called SNDMSG and READMAIL, which allowed users to leave messages for one another on the same machine. He applied the idea behind these programs to a third program called
CYPNET, which allowed users to send and receive files between computers. The combined technology allowed people to send and receive files that could be appended between different machines.

Despite his groundbreaking success with email, Tomlinson is better known for introducing the "@" sign as the locator in email addresses

When Singapore gained independence in 1965, it faced a host of survival problems: high unemployment, water shortage, no defence capability and a hostile region. To address these issues, the Parliament of Singapore has worked diligently and enacted many important legislations: building of the military, public housings, economic policies and recycling of water. However, one legislation was featured prominently above the rest and has persistently put the small country on the spotlights of international attention: the infamous Chewing Gum Ban.

The effect of banning this small piece of confectionery cannot be underestimated. Since the ban was introduced, political analysts 1, business lobbyists, and civil rights activists have discussed extensively the social, political, economic, health (dental hygiene) and psychological impact of this ban. After all, this is an example of governmental control, in the name of good public policy, to restrict the distribution and sales of a commodity and the private lifestyle habits of its ordinary citizens.

History
A clean MRT train. Such trains were the scene of vandalism in 1991, which prompted the chewing gum ban. (Source: Land Transport Authority, Singapore)In his memoir 2 , Lee Kuan Yew recounted that as early as 1983, when he was still serving as Prime Minister, a proposal for the ban was brought up to him by the minister for national development. Chewing gum was causing serious maintenance problems in high-rise public housing flats, with vandals disposing of spent gum in mailboxes, inside keyholes and even on elevator buttons. Chewing gum left on floors, stairways and pavements in public areas increased the cost of cleaning and damaged cleaning equipment. Gum stuck on the seats of public buses also constantly vexed passengers. However, in spite of his authoritarian reputation, Lee thought that a ban would be
"too drastic" and did not take action.

In 1987, the S$5 billion metro system, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), began operations. It was then the largest public project ever implemented in Singapore, and expectations were high. One of the champions of the project, Mr Ong Teng Cheong, declared: " …the MRT will usher in a new phase in Singapore's development and bring about a better life for all of us."

It was then reported that vandals had begun sticking chewing gum on the door sensors of MRT trains, preventing the door from functioning properly and causing disruption of train services. Such incidents were rare but costly and culprits were difficult to apprehend. In January 1992, Goh Chok Tong, who had just taken over as Prime Minister, decided on a ban. The restriction on the distribution of chewing gum was enacted in Singapore Stature Chapter 57, the "Control of Manufacture Act", which also governs the restriction of alcohol and tobacco.


A Nation without Chewing Gum After the ban was announced, the import of chewing gum was immediately halted. However, a reasonable transition period was given to allow
shops to clear their existing stocks. After that, the sale of chewing gum was completely terminated.

There is a common misconception that chewing gum is illegal in Singapore. However, the ban only prevents the import and sale of chewing gum, not its consumption. In fact, foreign visitors and returning residents are legally allowed to bring small amounts of chewing gum into the country for personal consumption.

When first introduced, the ban naturally caused much controversy and some open defiance. Some took the trouble of traveling to neighbouring Johor Bahru to purchase chewing gum. A few tried to bring back more than what is legally permitted. These offenders were publicly "named and shamed" by the government, to serve as a deterrent to other would-be smugglers. As time passed and the uproar died down, however, Singaporeans became accustomed to the lack of chewing gum. Surprisingly, no black market for chewing gum in Singapore ever emerged.

Singapore's sidewalks have continued to stay gum-free. A new generation has grown up devoid of chewing gum, with few significant repercussions. Tourists visiting Singapore enthuse about how they no longer need to pick gum off their shoes when walking on the streets. Today, it is generally agreed amongst citizens that the advantages of the ban far outweigh the side-effects.


International Attention
In the mid 1990s, Singapore's forbidding laws began to receive intense international coverage and attention from liberal civil rights activists. The U.S. media sensationalised the case of Michael P. Fay, the American teenager who was sentenced to caning in Singapore for vandalism (spray paint, not chewing gum). They also zeroed in on Singapore's other peculiar laws, including the mandatory flushing in
public toilets ruling. It was around this time that Singapore developed its infamous "nanny state" image, where the movements of every citizen are constantly scrutinised and dictated by the government. A common joke is that Singapore is a "fine" country, a jibe at the excessive number of fines Singapore imposes for seemingly harmless acts like jaywalking. Most of the outside world saw laws such
as the ban on chewing gum as excessively aggressive and even autocratic.

Singapore leaders responded by arguing that as a sovereign state, Singapore had the rights to formulate its own policies based on its own unique political and cultural values. Besides, they argued, these policies would result in greater overall benefits for the country. When a BBC reporter suggested that overly draconian laws would stifle the people's creativity, Lee Kuan Yew retorted: "If you can't think
because you can't chew, try a banana."

A movie made to continue the story of another movie. They are pretty much only made when the original is a success, and the makers want more money. They are raiding our movie theaters and destroying modern day cinema. Alright, I'm exaggerating. We all see sequels coming out in theaters constantly, sometimes to an extreme annoyance.
(Come on, no one will admit they were excited to see Cody Banks 2!) Well, I thought in the festive spirit of the Movies-themed Feature Section, I will give you whatever interesting sequel facts I can find. I'm sure they will entertain you until you can be entertained no more.


1. Some sequels in production or coming out to theaters include Superman V, Batman Begins, Shrek III, Shrek IV, Terminator 4, Jurassic Park IV, Pirates of the Caribbean II, Fast and the Furious III, Blair Witch Project III, Blade III, Scary Movie IV, Alien V, Indiana Jones IV, Gladiator II, The Goonies II, The Grudge II, Hellboy II, Independence Day II, Meet the Fockers, Ocean's 12, Old School II, James Bond XXI, Shark Tale II, Seven II, Seriously Dude, Where's My Car?


2. The first sequel to win the Academy Award for Best Picture was The Godfather Part II. The only other sequel to win Best Picture was last year's Return of the King.


3. The first sequel ever made was 1916's Fall of a Nation. (Sequel to Birth of a Nation)


4. The sequel to get the most money in the world is Return of the King (Ranking as the second biggest money maker of all time and followed by five more sequels)


5. The sequel that earned the most money in the United States of America is Shrek 2.



6. There's an interesting sequel to Forrest Gump called Gump and Co. that has never been made into a movie. Maybe the movie industry isn't as pathetic as I make it out to be.


7. The 1969 Japanese movie It's Tough to Be a Man spawned 48 sequels, making it the record holder for most sequels ever.

8. The worst movie sequel in my eyes is 'Revenge of the nerds 3'

9. There is no such thing as a good Disney animated movie sequel (or Kourosism said... Toy Story 2- but to my view - It is more a Pixar movie that a pure Disney...)

10. Some sequels were made into movies before the original story was made into a movie. They include Silence of the Lambs, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.


11. The best sequel ever made is Terminator 2, Judgment Day. No question or argument.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce administers the Hollywood Walk of Fame, convening a highly secretive and mysterious Walk of Fame committee every year. The organization receives several hundred nominations at the end of May, from which it selects an "undetermined number."

To receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, candidates must meet three criteria:
Professional achievement Longevity of five years in the field of entertainment Contributions to the community Honorees generally receive stars for achievements in one of five categories: motion picture, live theater, radio, television, or music. Only one person has stars in all five categories -- the singing cowboy himself, Gene Autry.

Fame comes with a price, however. In order to receive a star, the celebrity must pay a sponsorship fee of $15,000. Part of this covers security costs. Usually a movie studio picks up the tab as part of a carefully orchestrated publicity campaign for an upcoming film.

The walk is illuminated by well over 2,000 stars, and gets new points of light at the rate of roughly two a month. Pat Sajak has a star. So does Thomas Edison, and Rin Tin Tin. Oh, and of course, David

Though I tried my darndest, I was unable to determine the most popular tune in karaoke bars. Popularity tends to vary between regions and countries. Unfortunately, there's no database or electronic tracking mechanism for individual songs. However, I did find a list of "hot songs" at a music label called Karaoke Warehouse. Not surprisingly, the songs tend to mirror the pop charts. Current faves include "All These Things That I've Done" by The Killers, "Because of You" by Kelly Clarkson, and "A Real Fine Place to Start" by Sara Evans.

Karaoke is a Japanese word with two roots: "kara," or empty, and "oke," which is short for orchestra. Popular legend has it that karaoke was born roughly twenty years ago in a snack bar in Kobe, Japan. Quickly adopted by Japanese business types as a way of blowing off steam, karaoke has now stormed the world. In the United States and Europe it's mostly enjoyed in bars, but private karaoke rooms are the
norm in Japan.

By now karaoke has permeated pretty much every genre of music imaginable. Practitioners can choose from punk, metal, hip hop, and folk karaoke songs. You can even hear live karaoke bands, who play behind paying customers. Who's up for "I Will Survive?"

Fresh from the launch of the new Indian Pacific livery on 24th September, NR 28 hauls the Indian Pacific out of Perth (through Maylands) on Wednesday, 28th September 2005. Indian Pacific train through suburban Perth in 2002.The Indian Pacific is a passenger rail service running between Perth and Sydney, Australia. It was started in 1970 after the railway line between Sydney and Perth had all been converted to standard gauge. It covers 4352 kilometres, passes through three states and travels along the world's longest straight stretch of railway track.

Route
The route leaves East Perth Station and travels east to Kalgoorlie. This section was built as narrow gauge, and even when it was converted to standard gauge in 1968 there was a change of locomotives and train crew at Kalgoorlie from Westrail crew to Australian National Railways.

From there it continues east across the Nullarbor Plain on the Trans-Australian Railway to Port Augusta. This railway was built as standard gauge, completed in 1917 as part of the promises made to Western Australia on federation in 1901. The section includes the longest straight stretch of railway track in the world (479 km) around
Cook. When it was built, there was a break-of-gauge at both ends.

The train continues south to Port Pirie, then inland to Crystal Brook, and south to Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. It returns along the same track to Crystal Brook, then turns east again towards Broken Hill, passing through the historic triple-gauge railway towns of Gladstone and Peterborough. Port Pirie to Broken Hill was rebuilt to standard gauge in 1970 (the previous version was narrow gauge), and
the Crystal Brook to Adelaide section was built in 1982. Prior to that, the Indian Pacific did not go down to Adelaide, passengers transferred at Port Pirie from a broad gauge train between Adelaide and Port Pirie.

From Broken Hill, the train continues across New South Wales to Parkes, then climbs over the Blue Mountains and into Sydney.

Passenger Facilities
The service between Perth and Sydney takes about four days. Passengers can choose between airline-style seats and single- or dual-berth sleeper cabins. The train also carries passengers' motor vehicles. The restaurant car provides a table d'hôte service. There are also an on train buffet and a lounge bar.

Some people are allergic to pets. Are pets sometimes allergic to people?
As the Kansas City Star notes, human dander, or the dandruff-like skin flakes that humans shed every day, can be one of several nasty allergens to animals. As one veterinarian explains, "it's kind of a man bites dog thing." Pets can also be allergic to the usual suspects: pollen, dust mites, and particular kinds of food. Cocker spaniels, German shepherds, and Shar-Peis are particularly sensitive to environmental and food-based allergens. Yahoo! Pets mentions that the most common type of allergy affecting cats and dogs is the flea saliva they're exposed to during a flea bite.

Contrary to popular belief, people aren't allergic to animal fur, but rather to the proteins in dander, saliva, and dried urine. People tend to be more allergic to cats because they bathe themselves with saliva and spend a lot of time indoors

According to a list of Frequently Asked Questions originally created for the Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.movies, those dots are cue marks that let the projectionist know that it's time to change reels. Film reels generally range in length from 20 to 22 minutes, so there are several "changeovers" in a feature-length film.

Each reel of film actually has two sets of cue marks. Before one reel ends, the projectionist loads the next reel in a second projector, with about nine feet of leader, or blank film, between the lens and the start of the reel. The first sequence of dots, which starts about nine seconds before the end of the reel, cues the projectionist to start the second projector running.

At the second set of dots, which marks the end of the reel, the projectionist throws a switch that changes the sound and picture source from the first projector to the second. At this point, which is usually a dark scene change, the two projectors are cued up at the same point in the film. It's a process that's worked for 100 years,
but the advent of digital projection technology means it's not likely to make it another 100.

Suprisingly, the Department of Defense (DoD) is fairly forthcoming about their headquarters. The Pentagon is one of the world's largest office buildings -- it houses over 26,000 employees and boasts 17.5 miles of corridors.

Yet, despite its enormous size, "it takes only seven minutes to walk between any two points in the building." Brigadier General Brehon B. Sommervell, Chief of the Construction Division of the Office of the Quartermaster General, ordered the neo-classical building as a temporary solution to the War Departments critical shortage of space. Built in an amazing 16 months, the Pentagon cost $83 million (an investment returned within 7 years), consolidated 17 War Department buildings, and opened for business January 15, 1943.

Although the DoD doesn't mention how the shape of the building was determined, they do provide a handy link to the Defense Technical Information Center web site, which fills in the blanks: "The original site chosen for the Pentagon was a tract of land known as Arlington Farms. The site was bordered by five roadways thus dictating the
concept of a pentagonal shaped building."

While President Roosevelt later ordered the building moved to a different location, the original design concept -- "an open air court surrounded by five concentric pentagonal rings (or corridors) traversed by ten spoke-like corridors" -- was retained.

Perhaps not coincidentally, the pentagon symbol is linked with the planet Venus, often associated with warfare, and is also a basic design for fortresses.

If you're interested in further exploring the enigmatic building, the Pentagon offers tours, or you can take a virtual stroll around the building.

What is it about duct tape that makes some people absolutely fetishistic? Okay, don't answer that. The duct tape-centric sites I visited all treat this three-layered adhesive panacea as the greatest invention since...since...Scotch tape. I even read that the Apollo 13 astronauts used it to jury-rig a lifesaving carbon dioxide filter. Other uses include hemming a pair of dress pants, sealing a hole in a
shoe, and constructing a Frisbee (100% duct tape, of course). Not long ago, The USA Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge was ridiculed for suggesting the use of duct tape during a terrorist attack. We can't imagine why.

Duct tape was originally manufactured for the U.S. military during World War II by the Johnson & Johnson Permacel division, to prevent water from seeping into ammunition boxes. Because "water rolled off it like a duck" (it was waterproof) and because it was made using "cotton duck" (similar to the material in cloth medical tapes), the new invention was originally called "duck tape." In the booming postwar
era, its versatility made it a standard component of any handyman's toolkit; however, its most high-profile use was connecting heating and air conditioning ducts. Thus, "duck tape" became "duct tape." Ironically, the tape is now considered ineffective for ductwork and banned by most building codes.

But the "duck tape" moniker still lives on as a registered trademark of the Duck(r) brand company. So if you love duck tape, join the club.

Italian men become fathers at a later age than any other nationality, and do little or nothing to help their wives once their babies are born, statistics office Istat said Thursday.

Italian men have their first child at an average age of 33, against less than 31 for fathers in Spain, France and Finland, Istat said.

Part of the problem was that many Italian men lived with their parents for longer than elsewhere in the world, with 40 percent of 30-34 year-old Italian males still staying at home.

When they eventually become fathers, Italian women need not expect much help around the house, Istat said, adding that Italian men's dedication to domestic duties was "non-existent or unsatisfying."

Istat said men who married at the age of 35 were 80 percent less likely to want a child than those who married at 25, while women were only likely not to want children if they were older than their husbands.

By contrast with the men, Italian women have their first child at an average age of 27, six months before their Finnish counterparts.

Thursday's statistics will do little to reassure the Italian government which is worried by a demographic time bomb, with Italians rapidly aging and many couples deciding to only have one child or none at all.

(Article from Reuter)

Camden Market is a major youth focused market or shopping district in Camden Town, and the largest shopping area of its type in London, England. It is a leading tourist attraction which attracts tens of thousands of people a day in the summer, a high proportion of them overseas visitors to the UK. It began in its present form in 1974 when the Camden Lock crafts market was formed, although the traditional local street market in Inverness Street, which has now been absorbed by Camden Market, existed before that. It consists of six separate neighbouring markets:

Camden Lock Market - the original crafts focused market, established in 1974. Mostly indoors.
Stables Market - the largest of the markets. Mainly clothes and furniture, plus many other bits and pieces.
Camden Canal Market - an outdoor market focusing on clothes.
Buck Street Market - another outdoor market focusing on clothes.
Electric Ballroom - an indoor market open on Saturdays and Sundays.
Inverness Street - a small traditional street market.

Most of the shops in Chalk Farm Road also sell goods aimed at the same youth market, and many of them operate with their frontages wide open in a semi market style.

As of 2005 a large indoor market hall is under constuction in a yard between the Stables Market and Camden Lock Market, which was previously used for open air stalls.

The Camden Market area is famed as the stamping ground of many well known musicians, including Madness who brought their loafers at the British Boot Company, the first distributors of Doc Martens in the UK. There are several well known music venues nearby.

Eliot Ness of "Untouchables" fame busted Al Capone for tax evasion in 1931, then continued to crack down on bootleggers until Prohibition ended in 1935. That year he was hired by the city of Cleveland as Director of Public Safety. Throughout the 1930s and early 1940s, Mr. Ness kept at it: nailing corrupt cops, rooting out dirty firemen, smacking down bookie joints, and generally cleaning up the town. But Mr. Ness finally met his match in the infamous Cleveland Torso Murderer.

Ness never successfully nabbed the Torso Murderer, who decapitated and de-limbed at least twelve unfortunate souls. He later decamped to Washington, D.C., where he headed the Diebold Safe Company before making an unsuccessful run for Cleveland mayor in 1947.

Ness eventually settled in Pennsylvania and worked for a private security firm. In 1957 he finished his memoir, "The Untouchables," and shortly thereafter died of a heart attack. Ness would later become the stuff of TV and movie lore, inspiring an Oscar-winning film and several television series.

The Quokka (Setonix brachyurus) is a small macropod, about the size of
a large domestic cat. Like other marsupials in the macropod family (such as the kangaroos and wallabies) the Quokka is herbivorous and mainly nocturnal.

In the wild, it is now restricted to a very small range in mainland south-western Western Australia, where it has become rare, and on two fox-free islands off the coast: Bald Island and Rottnest Island — which is its stronghold. On Rottnest Island it is common and occupies a wide range of habitats, ranging from semi-arid scrub to cultivated gardens.

Quokkas are the only member of the genus Setonix. They are 40 to 54 cm long with a 25 to 30 cm tail — which is rather short for a macropod. They have a stocky build, rounded ears, and a short, broad head. Although looking rather like a very small, dumpy kangaroo, they can climb small trees and shrubs. Their coarse fur is a grizzled brown colour, fading to buff underneath.

Quokkas are gregarious and gather in large groups where food is available: primary items are grasses, sedges, succulents and foliage. They breed at any time on the mainland, but in late summer on Rottnest. Restricted availability of the trace element copper appears to be a major limiting factor of the ability of Quokkas to breed on Rottnest Island.

Although numerous on the small offshore islands, they have a very restricted range and are classified as vulnerable. On the mainland, where they must contend with introduced foxes, they require dense ground cover for refuge.

I started our search by typing the whole unwieldy phrase -- "how many countries in the world" -- into the Yahoo! search box. I realized the chances of finding a Yahoo! category on the subject were about as small as Andorra, but I was confident the Google search results would point us in the right direction. My first stop was an article from About.com's Geography section. The article, titled How Many Countries Are in the World?, was recently updated on December 6th, 2000. It states that depending on the source, the world has either 189, 191, or 192 countries.

The United Nations, which represents almost every country in the world, has 189 members. However, Switzerland and Vatican City havechosen not to become members of the United Nations. Therefore, many people believe the number is 191. But not so fast...

Taiwan ostensibly meets all the requirements of an independent country, but, due to political reasons, much of the world refuses to recognize it as such. Taiwan considers itself an independent nation and continues to push for recognition from other countries, but two of the world's powers, the U.S. and China, have yet to be swayed.

If Taiwan is considered an independent country, as it is by the World Almanac and Book of Facts, then there are 192 countries in the world. It should be pointed out that there are a couple of countries that are heading towards independence: East Timor recently voted for independence from Indonesia, and, if the Middle East peace talks continue in a positive direction, it's expected that Palestine will gain independence in the next few years.

Other sources, such as the CIA World Factbook, list the number of countries as much higher, but these counts usually include territories and colonies like Puerto Rico and Bermuda, which are governed by other countries.

Depending on your criteria and definition of a country, the current count can range anywhere from 189 to 266 or so.

As with many pop culture phenomenons, it's difficult to credit one specific person with creating disco. This musical style started in the early 1970s, primarily in New York City underground nightclubs. The DJs in these clubs played a mix of funk, soul, and R&B music that the crowds loved to dance to. As the scene grew, musicians and DJs experimented with different sounds and mixes. Faster, funkier music that kept the audience dancing became very popular, and eventually the style spread to other big cities in the U.S. and Europe. Disco peaked in the mid '70s and died out at the end of the decade.

A key development in creating disco seems to be longer song length. Typical radio pop songs were (and still are) about three minutes in length. Nightclub DJs noticed how one great song could keep people happy on the dance floor and wanted to extend this experience as long as possible.

Early disco artists were influenced by the ten-minute song "Sex Machine," by soul legend James Brown in 1970. The first disco hits include "Love's Theme" from Love Unlimited Orchestra, "Your Song" written by Elton John and performed by Billy Paul, and "Love Train" by the O'Jays, which were popular in 1972 and 1973.

The first major media discussions of disco were in Rolling Stone and Billboard magazines in 1973. These articles probably didn't coin the term, but they did bring national attention to the rising trend.

Mix master Tom Moulton made two huge contributions to the burgeoning disco scene. In 1974, for Gloria Gaynor's first album, Never Can Say Goodbye, Moulton mixed a medley of three songs into a dance mix that lasted the whole length of one album side.

Then, in 1975, Moulton worked with recording engineer José Rodriguez to invent the 12" single -- a vinyl record as big as a long-playing album, but with only one, long, remixed song on it. Moulton distributed the new singles as promotional items for nightclub DJs, and the 12" caught on fast. The next year, the first commercial 12" single was released, and the disco era exploded around the U.S. and the world.

Golf courses didn't always have 18 holes. The number of holes used to vary widely: 11, 22, 24, etc. As with most golf tradition-related questions, the reason why 18 became the standard goes back to St. Andrews of Scotland, the granddaddy of all golf courses. The original course at St. Andrews (dating back to the 15th century!) consisted of 11 holes along a narrow strip of land next to the sea. Each hole was played twice, for a total of 22. In 1764, two of the holes were judged to be too short, so the course made the switch from 22 to 18 holes (nine holes played two times each).

In 1858, the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, not an institution to be trifled with, issued an official decree that one round of links, or 18 holes, constituted an official match. Other courses pretty much followed suit, and by the 1870s, 18 holes was the standard.

One legend claims that the number 18 originated as a suggestion from one of the St. Andrews old-timers, who noted that it took exactly 18 shots to finish a fifth of scotch -- a shot per hole. However, this is just a rumor, so you can leave your hip flasks at home.