Sword of Damocles

If you don't know it, the story is:

Dionysius (II) was a fourth century B.C. tyrant of Syracuse, a city in Magna Graecia, the Greek area of southern Italy. To all appearances Dionysius was very rich and comfortable, with all the luxuries money could buy, tasteful clothing and jewelry, and delectable food. He even had court flatterers (adsentatores) to inflate his ego. One of these ingratiators was the court sycophant, Damocles. Damocles used to make comments to the king about his wealth and luxurious life. One day when Damocles complimented the tyrant on his abundance and power, Dionysius turned to Damocles and said, "If you think I'm so lucky, how would you like to try out my life?"

Damocles readily agreed, and so Dionysius ordered everything to be prepared for Damocles to experience what life as Dionysius was like. Damocles was enjoying himself immensely... until he noticed a sharp sword hovering over his head, that was suspended from the ceiling by a horse hair. This, the tyrant explained to Damocles, was what life as ruler was really like.

Damocles, alarmed, quickly revised his idea of what made up a good life, and asked to be excused. He then eagerly returned to his poorer, but safer life.

                         ~ synopsis from ancient history at about.com 

And I don't know why, but this story keeps playing through my head. Do you think there is an unseen sword hanging over every head? 

In Case You Were Wondering

Every time I buy canned salmon, I idly wonder about the shape of the can, why is is unique to salmon? Today I actually remembered to ask Google.  :) 


It seems that when canning started the cans were made of three pieces, just like you find surface area of a cylinder, two circular ends and the rectangle that wraps around the side. But then they decided it was more efficient to make the bottom and sides out of a single piece and just add the lid. And they found that if they sloped the sides in, the cans could be nested for more efficient storage and shipping of empty cans.


Which leads to the question: why is only salmon sold in this shape can? Apparently that is because most canneries are large enough to have the can manufacturing itself right there and shipping is not an issue - but since salmon is mainly from Alaska, the cans are shipped in empty, filled, and shipped out again.


Please let me know if you find anything else canned in that shape, because then Google would have some more explaining to do.  :)

Where Does This Stuff Come From?

Mr Music has still not outgrown the continuous question stage. Two I liked recently:
* if you shoot caps off inside, can you start a fire? (I opted to not suggest experimentation as a good way to find out, despite the science lessons he is taking)
* Two bees are fighting. What should you do about it?


And Miss Dog Lover? Today she was explaining something about a dream:  when I see something in dreams I see the form but there’s black and white mixed in it. And when I try to eat it it has no taste so I know I’m asleep and I pinch myself and wake up and it works well.  (All I can say about that one is that her dreams make as much sense as mine.)