Saturday, November 7, 2009

Aiguillette

An aiguillette is an ornamental braided cord most often worn on uniforms, but may also be observed on other costumes such as academic dress, where it will denote an honor. Originally, the word "aiguillette" referred to the lacing used to fasten plate armour together. As such a knot or loop arrangement was used which sometimes hung down from the shoulder.


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Thursday, May 28, 2009

Majordomo

from wikipedia:

A majordomo is a person who speaks, makes arrangements, or takes charge for another. Typically, the term refers to the highest (major) person of a household (domo) staff, one who acts on behalf of the (often absent) owner of a typically large residence. Similar terms include castellan, concierge, chamberlain, seneschal, Mayor of the Palace, maître d'hôtel, butler and steward. The term also refers, more informally, to someone who oversees the day-to-day responsibilities of a business enterprise.


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Sunday, March 22, 2009

Kentucky Do-Nothing

Entertainment Center: Kentucky Do-Nothing

A Kentucky Do-Nothing is toy or novelty consisting, in its simplest form, of a base and a crank and two sliding parts. One sliding part is connected to the crank at the crank's end, the other is connected at the crank's midpoint. When the crank is turned, the sliding parts move back and fourth in grooves cut into the base. Because of the restricting movement of the sliding parts, the free end of the crank (often with a knob) moves in an elliptical pattern.


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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Kinda looks like the Seaduck

Blohm & Voss BV 138



The Blohm & Voss BV 138 Seedrache (Sea Dragon, but nicknamed Der Fliegende Holzschuh (flying clog)) was a World War II German flying boat that functioned as the Luftwaffe's main long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

...Unusual were the aircraft's twin boom tail unit, and gun turrets at the bow and the stern of the fuselage, as well as behind the central engine. These features together produced the aircraft's ungainly appearance.


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Saturday, January 17, 2009

Decoy effect

In marketing, the decoy effect (or asymmetric dominance effect) is the phenomenon whereby consumers will tend to have a specific change in preference between two options when also presented with a third option that is asymmetrically dominated. An option is asymmetrically dominated when it is inferior in all respects to one option; but, in comparison to the other option, it is inferior in some respects and superior in others. (more...)