Big

Maersk McKinney Moller is the world's largest container ship. It is 20 stories high and extends the length of four consecutive football fields. It was designed specifically for passage between Asia and (northern) Europe, the world's busiest trade route.

Just how big is big, the proverbial question of many a subject? The "megaship" could hold, without breaking a sweat (it's also energy efficient by 30% more than other shippers), 2 million bicycles (training wheels not included) or 100 million pairs of shoes (take that Imelda). If one were to put each of the containers that it could contain, how much wood could a woodchuck chuck...?; let's try that again, if you were to put each of the containers that the ship could contain in a single row, the container ship's containers would stretch for 70 miles.

The ship is a bit of a gamble for Maersk. The efficiency of the ship, like any vessel meant to be filled up, is inextricably contingent on it being filled up. So, the next pair of shoes you own or the bicycle that flies past your driveway as you're trying to pull out of the garage (or the car itself) quite possibly could have taken a journey on this man-made behemoth.

ESOP

As of January 1, 2013, the supermarket, Lueken's Village Foods, will change ownership. Joe Lueken, the current owner, received many significant offers from large supermarket chains who wanted to take over his two locations in Bemidji, Minnesota and Wahpeton, North Dakota. Mr. Lueken has owned and managed the Lueken's for 45 years. At 70, he is ready to move on to world travel and time with family. Thus, time to sell. Or, maybe time to give.

Instead of accepting one of the bids, Mr. Lueken, decided to pass ownership to his 400+ employees via an ESOP (employee ownership stock plan). Raised during the Great Depression, Mr. Lueken said his parents emphasized the dictate to "do the right thing." He added that, "My employees are largely responsible for the success I've had, and they deserve to get some of the benefits of that. You can't always take. Sometimes you have to give back."

And, since it's just on the cusp of December, the epitomous month of giving (and, honestly, it's not all puppy dogs, bubble gum and ESOP, also getting and taking), Mr. Lueken's generosity seems like a story (and store) worth sharing.

Life sometimes can be ESOP.

ESOP--noun
  a plan under which a company's capital stock is acquired by its employees or workers

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2239883/Retiring-grocery-store-owner-70-gives-supermarkets-employees-travel-wife.html#ixzz2DYEt1rHF
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My employees are largely responsible for any success I've had, and they deserve to get some of the benefits of that,' he told the paper. 'You can't always take. You also have to give back.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2239883/Retiring-grocery-store-owner-70-gives-supermarkets-employees-travel-wife.html#ixzz2DYEt1rHF
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

My employees are largely responsible for any success I've had, and they deserve to get some of the benefits of that,' he told the paper. 'You can't always take. You also have to give back.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2239883/Retiring-grocery-store-owner-70-gives-supermarkets-employees-travel-wife.html#ixzz2DYEt1rHF
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Mexican

A site search for "Gorrostieta" will return no hits on domestic news sites like the Huffington Post, MSNBC or NPR. Yet, more global sources like the Daily Mail and the BBC both reported on the November assassination of Maria Santos Gorrostieta, former mayor of the town of Tiquicheo within the western state of Michoacan, merely outskirt-ting Mexico City proper. Michoacan is contemporarily, albeit tragically, infamous for [brutal] femicide. Being not just female but also a prominent political figure, Gorrostieta had survived two assassination attempts prior to the third and final.

Gorrostieta had taken a firm stance against Mexico's drug cartel reign. Her position cost not just her life, but that of her former husband's, and she leaves behind three children (her daughter being the prime witness to Gorrostieta's fatal abduction). Throughout her tenure as mayor, she suffered serious injuries, including gunshot wounds that left her in permanent pain and disfigurement. She posted pictures of her injuries in support of her strong stance to not back down from her position against the cartel. They, as well as that of her partially nude dead body, are available online, but with all do respect to her, this blog will refrain.

No witty remarks for this posting, but since it somehow eclipsed the surveillance of much better informed American sources, it seemed like a disservice to not acknowledge it. Which begs and begs the question to our country in whole and part: Why do we continue to pretend like Mexico does not share a border with us?

Life sometimes can be Mexican.

Mexican: --adj.
  of or pertaining to Mexico, an arm of the Atlantic bordered by the U.S. 

Traditional

Denmark is a great place to be. While that comment is entirely subjective, chances are, by the end of the post you'll agree (if you don't already; after all, when is the last time someone told you stay out of Denmark (likely centuries ago when that certain something was rotten)). At exactly 8:59pm on the first Friday of November every year since 1980 Tuborg Brewery lets loose its seasonal (i.e., Christmas) blend, Julebryg (Jule'be'drunk is the nearest North American translation).

 

While most happy-go-lucky revelers and/or seasonally seasoned celebrators would find this Danish novelty pleasing enough, it does get better. Tuborg is so behind its own festivities that it goes so far as to dispatch its own gang of blue-clad Tuborg elves who visit some 450 locations throughout the country, where they proceed to merrily distribute two or three cases of free beer to each, which ends up being about 25,000 bottles, plus a delightful gamut of blue-themed swag. Thus, "J-Day" is christened, marking the limited holiday season.

The brew itself is said to have hints of licorice and black currant, so it's dark, and it's strong at 5.6% alcohol (apples to apples: Heineken is 5.0%; apples to oranges: Budeweiser is 4.1%). Because of the combination of potency, early inaugural drinking commencement time and general glee and excitement, the bars admit that it's not their highest volume night, nor is it a cheery next morning for all. With a loosely enforced legal drinking age of 18, when the celebration was formerly held on a non-Friday weekday, students were notably un-notable the following day.

The J-Day tradition is so solid that the annual commercial hasn't changed for 30 years, and other countries (like Slovenia) are attempting to adopt the tradition themselves. All in all, cheers to the merry Dutch!

Life sometimes can be traditional.

Traditional: --adj.
 conventional, customary, established

Male

Hi My Name Is: Tuartara (i.e., Mr. Spiny Back)...

Tuartaras have survived this earth for 230 million years. Similar to its species' longevity, individuals boast long life lines as well. Most tuartarras live to see more than 100 candles on their birthday cakes. They reach sexual maturity between 10 and 20 years old, but may be much much older before actually putting their prowess to procreation-use. For example, Henry, an inhabitant of the Southland Museum in Invercargill, New Zealand, just fathered his first lizard brood of 11 at the white-whiskery age of 111; his much younger mate is his junior by 41 years (although, they didn't meet on "paymybills.com").

As is their reptilian nature, tuataras are ectothermic, meaning that they are unable to generate their own heat, with an optimal body temp between 16-21C (but they remain comfortable (and alive) at as low as 7C). Temperature dictates more than every day life for tuataras; in fact, it is the deciding factor when it comes to the sex of a hatchling tuatara. At over 72F, the brand new baby tuatara is likely to be male, and under that is likely to give way to female. It gets more severe though because if it gets much hotter than 72, all hatchlings will invariably (that's what I mean by "all") be male.

Thus, the current plight of the tuatara population: The spiny-back buggers aren't much for elevations, so that limits their ability to expand their habitats, and many of the select areas they do live are getting much too hot to foster females. By 2085, it is expected that no females at all would be possible in some areas.

After weathering the Mesozoic and merely flicking their tongues in the face of volcanoes and the ice ages, it would be a hot day indeed were the tuataras to finally draw this singular line in the sizzling sand. 

Life sometimes can be male.
  Male: --adj.
Of, or pertaining to, or being a male animal or plant

Holy Sh*t!

Felix Baumgartner is an Austrian daredevil with over 2,000 sky dives under his parachute belt. His latest coup is to attempt the highest sky dive ever, which is a breath-taking (literally) 120,000 feet. Refer to the diagram below for some perspective:

 

While 120,000 feet is still off of proper "space" by over 200,000 miles, it will send him beyond the stratosphere (the earth's second layer of major atmosphere) and the Armstrong line; the latter of which means that his insides would be at boiling point were it not for the specialized pressure suit and helmet he'll be wearing.

Like many other strange occurrences, Felix's undertaking will be staged from Roswell, New Mexico. If the fall is successful, he'll break four records: The highest parachute jump (U.S. Air Force pilot Kittinger fell from 102,300 feet back in 1960. Felix is employing a helium balloon to accomplish the additional 18,000 feet.); First human to break the sound barrier without the use of a vehicle (Felix is expected to exceed 680mph and will be wearing four satellite/navigation units in order to record the speed for his information while falling as well as record-keeping (and breaking).); Longest free fall time (Felix should take about five and half minutes to fall...long enough to eat a bag of chips that he probably won't have room for in his suit); Highest manned balloon flight (infrared and microwave balloons have been released beyond water-vapor points in order to view cosmos, but Felix will be the first person to be in a device aptly capable because the helium balloon that will get him (within a capsule) to the launch height will be the first such device with a human being in it; however, Felix, obviously, won't be returning in the balloon, so this fourth record is considered unofficial).

With many 23-mile high questions now addressed, Felix's jump off is marked for Tuesday; what's on  your calendar?

Life sometimes can be holy sh*t.

  Holy sh*t: --adj.

beyond belief, exceptional in some way that defies decorous language