Pets and Politics
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Posted:Nov 6, 2018 12:03 pm
Last Updated:Nov 21, 2018 4:07 am
9721 Views
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As our American friends are busy with the mid-term elections, I thought this information about some of the more unusual pets that have lived at the White House, would bring some smiles and laughs. Hope you enjoy!
Pete the Squirrel
President Warren G. Harding and his wife, Florence, had several canaries and two dogs (Laddie Boy and Old Boy), but their most interesting pet was Pete the Squirrel. Pete lived on the White House grounds and would eat right out of people’s hands. Even Navy Secretary Edwin Denby made friends with Pete on the White House lawn.
Ducks
President John F. Kennedy’s , Caroline, kept pet ducks that would waddle across the White House lawn. The Kennedy also owned a pony called Macaroni.
Parrots
Some could accuse presidents of being parrots of their party, but George Washington and James Madison had actual parrots in their families. Their wives each had one. Andrew Jackson also had a parrot, which learned how to swear. Someone brought the parrot to Old Hickory’s funeral, but it became unruly because of its persistent swearing.
Alligators
John Quincy Adams received an alligator from Marquis de Lafayette. The gator apparently lived in a bathroom, and Adams sometimes used it to scare guests. Herbert Hoover’s , Allan, later owned a pair of gators at the White House.
Guinea Pigs, Badger, Lion, Hyena, Zebra, and Bears—oh my!
Teddy Roosevelt, the man who once got shot during a speech and finished it, had a veritable zoo on the White House grounds. He kept snakes, a badger, a lion, a hyena, a zebra, and five bears. These were in addition to the traditional pets around the place, such as dogs, cats, horses, birds, rats, and guinea pigs. The guinea pigs were named Dr. Johnson, Bishop Doane, Fighting Bob Evans, Father O’Grady, and Admiral Dewey.
Sheep
Woodrow Wilson used to keep sheep on the White House grounds to help … with lawn maintenance. It was part of a cost-cutting measure during World War I. Included in the flock was Old Ike, a tobacco-chewing ram.
Raccoon
Calvin Coolidge also kept a small zoo at the White House. Coolidge had a bobcat, a wallaby, two lion cubs, a pygmy hippo, a bear, and a domesticated raccoon. The raccoon, named Rebecca, was kept by Coolidge’s wife, Grace, and was allowed to walk around the White House. The raccoon was even led by a leash at other times, though it was originally sent to the family for Thanksgiving to be eaten with the meal. But the family found the raccoon too domesticated to consume. Instead, the raccoon got her own place to stay in a tree and grew to enjoy playing with a bar of soap in a bathtub filled with a little water. Other Coolidge pets included a duiker (a small antelope), ducks, two canaries named Nip and Tuck, a goose called Enoch, and Smoky the bobcat.
Opossums
Benjamin Harrison had two opossums during his presidency. The opossums were named Mr. Reciprocity and Mr. Protection; reciprocity and protection were part of the 1892 Republican Party platform.
Gamecocks
Ulysses S. Grant kept gamecocks at the White House during his presidential term. The birds actually belonged to his Jesse Grant.
Tiger Cubs
The Sultan of Oman gifted Martin Van Buren two tiger cubs. Van Buren later gave the cubs to a zoo.
Pauline the Cow
William Howard Taft kept a cow named Pauline around so he and his family could enjoy milk. Pauline was the most recent cow to live at the White House.
Grizzly Bear
Thomas Jefferson, known as a man of science, received a pair of grizzly bears from explorer Zebulon Pike. They stayed on the White House lawn in cages for several months until they were taken to a museum in Philadelphia.
Eagle
James Buchanan kept an eagle during his term.
Mice
Andrew Johnson, the first president to be impeached, kept mice he found in the White House and fed them.
Roosters
William McKinley kept roosters, but Teddy Roosevelt kept a one-legged rooster.
Would you judge a potential leader by the type of pets they have?
Have you had any ‘unusual’ pets?
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Turning Back The Clock
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Posted:Nov 3, 2018 5:48 pm
Last Updated:Sep 20, 2021 5:12 pm
10363 Views
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Daylight Saving Time (DST), also Daylight Savings Time (United States), also Summer Time (United Kingdom and others), and “Ora Legale" in Italy; involves turning clocks ahead during summer months so that evening daylight lasts longer. In late autumn, they are turned back one hour so that daylight starts earlier.
DST is generally not observed near the equator, where sunrise times do not vary enough to justify it. Some countries observe it only in some regions; for example, southern Brazil observes it while equatorial Brazil does not. Only a minority of the world's population uses DST, because Asia and Africa generally do not observe it.
DST clock shifts sometimes complicate timekeeping and can disrupt travel, billing, record keeping, medical devices, heavy equipment, and sleep patterns. Computer software, iPhones, TVs adjust clocks automatically.
Think you know everything about DST? Check below and see if you really do.
Biggest Myths About Daylight Saving Time
Myth: Benjamin Franklin Invented Daylight Saving Time
The Real Story: Thanks to 'An Economical Project', a satirical essay Franklin wrote in 1784 urging Parisians to adopt an earlier sleeping schedule, the Founding Father is often credited with “inventing” daylight saving time. Actually, that honour belongs to William Willett, a British builder. While on an early morning horseback ride on the outskirts of London in 1905, Willett theorized that if the United Kingdom moved its clocks forward by 80 minutes between April and October, Britons would be able to enjoy more sunlight. Willett spent much of his own personal fortune trying to persuade British Parliament to embrace the idea, but he died in 1915 without seeing his dream come to fruition.
Myth: Germans Were the First to Embrace Daylight Saving Time
The Real Story: Germany adopted daylight saving time (DST) in 1916 to conserve energy during World War I. While Germany was indeed the first country to observe the practice, certain regions of Canada were already following DST as early as 1908. On July 1 of that year, residents of Port Arthur in Ontario—what is now Thunder Bay—were the first in the world to turn their clocks forward by one hour. Regina, Sask. implemented DST in 1914 (where it was enormously popular with local townsfolk), and Winnipeg followed suit in 1916. The German Empire may have popularized daylight saving time, but Canadians beat them to the punch.
Myth: Daylight Saving Time is Observed Everywhere
The Real Story: Changing the clocks may be standard practice in Canada, but not all countries observe daylight saving time. Countries along or below the equator, for instance, don’t implement time shifts since daylight hours rarely change from season to season. Much of Asia and Africa opt out of DST as well, as do Iceland and parts of Australia. Closer to home, Arizona, Hawaii, and regions of Quebec and British Columbia choose not to observe DST either. There’s one exception, however: even though Antarctica has no daylight in the winter and 24-hour daylight in the summer, research crews living in the area observe DST to communicate with their home bases.
Myth: Daylight Saving Time Makes Us Healthy
The Real Story: More sunlight may mean more vitamin D, but numerous studies have also linked daylight saving time to a rise in road accidents and health problems. A 2008 Swedish study in the New England Journal of Medicine—based on information collected over a 20-year period—found a higher incidence of heart attacks in the first three weekdays after clocks move forward and fall back. Meanwhile, according to Manitoba Public Insurance, there was a 20 per cent increase in crashes on Manitoba roads when clocks moved forward an hour in the spring of 2014. Changes in circadian rhythm, too, can trigger cluster headaches and lead to days or weeks of discomfort.
Myth: Daylight Saving Time Helps Farmers
The Real Story: When the United States passed the Uniform Time Act in 1966, it gave rise to the myth that the extra daylight would give farmers more time to harvest their produce in the morning. In reality, it has the opposite effect, and farmers tend to have been the loudest critics of DST over the past several decades. One of the main reasons DST picked up steam in North America after the World Wars was because department stores lobbied for the practice. Why? Well, more daylight means more business: commuters leaving work while the sun is still shining are more inclined to shop before they make their way home.
Do you have trouble adjusting to the time change? Is there a difference when losing an hour vs gaining an hour?
December 1/18: If you could turn back time, would you? Is there a time you would want to return to? Does the opportunity to ‘do over’ appeal to you?
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Wednesday Is More Than Hump Day
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Posted:Nov 1, 2018 1:25 am
Last Updated:Mar 10, 2021 1:31 pm
8654 Views
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Thinking of taking a day off? Experts say taking a Wednesday off can be more refreshing than taking a three-day weekend.
Taking a Wednesday off can break up the pace of a busy work week, allowing people a day to live on their own pace, explains Dawna Ballard, a communications professor at the University of Texas at Austin and a scholar of chronemics, the study of time and communication.
In an interview with Quartz, Ballard explained that the human experience of time is ordered by internal and external “pacers.” Internal pacers are unique to the individual (such as being a morning person or a night owl) while external pacers are put in place by the world.
The work week itself is an example of an external pacer, she said.
“Everyone has a different chronotype. Some people are slower moving, some people are faster moving,” Ballard said. “Our work, though, just goes and throws that out the window and says actually, this is how fast you have to work, this is when you have to work.”
Promotes harmony between internal and external pacers
If you’ve ever had a case of the Mondays, the friction between your internal and external pacers could be to blame. Ballard offered up a social science perspective for why Mondays can be so difficult. You’re coming off from a weekend, where you do have your own pace,” Ballard said. “It’s having to go from your pacer, back to this other pacer, there’s that friction.” However, having a free Wednesday can help interrupt the externally-dictated pacer of work. A mid-week break can give you a chance to get back to your internal rhythms, which can help to keep your external and internal pacers in sync. “You start the week knowing, I only have two days on this rhythm and then I get back to mine, ” Ballard says. “There’s a greater sense of calm and control.”
Disrupts the pace of the week
Taking a long weekend may give workers a longer stretch of time to be on their own schedules, but it doesn’t disrupt the pacing of the work week.
“A free Wednesday builds space on either side, and shifts the balance between your pace and work’s—in your favor,” writes Annaliese Griffin for Quartz.
Employees who have taken Wednesday off may even have a more positive mood to show for it.
“People’s moods are oftentimes buoyed when they’re looking forward to enjoyable activities,” Steven Meyers, professor of psychology at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Ill., told HuffPost. “And that positive attitude can have residual effects, as people remember a fun, relaxing day, even after returning to reality.”
A mid-week breather could also translate to better results on work projects, Meyers said. “Some work tasks actually improve when we put them aside to get a refreshed perspective,” he said. “We can approach them with a fresh set of eyes and have new ideas about how to complete the task.”
Which day do you prefer to take off? How do you spend your time?
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Life vs. Horror Films 💀👻🎃
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Posted:Oct 30, 2018 1:25 pm
Last Updated:Oct 31, 2018 9:32 pm
9090 Views
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Norman Bates, Leatherface and Freddy Krueger may be the stuff of nightmares—but they were all real.
Although I not a fan of the horror genre, I thought in keeping with the season, you may be interested in the 'story behind the movie'.
Jaws (1975)
Peter Benchley, who wrote the 1974 novel Jaws, got the idea for a killer shark story after chartering boat rides with a fisherman named Frank “Monster Man” Mundus (who claimed he was the inspiration for the gruff character Captain Quint). The book’s plot was inspired in part by the summer of 1916 when a rogue great white shark lurking in the waters off the Jersey shore killed five unlucky swimmers. Every time you hear the unmistakable, da-dum da-dum da-dum da-dum you are reminded of this movie. Note: Go see Sharkwater or Sharkwater Extinction and you will feel differently about sharks!
Psycho (1960)
When a sheriff visited Ed Gein’s Wisconsin farm in 1957, he was expecting to find a robbery suspect. Instead, he stumbled upon a true house of horrors: there was a bowl made from a human skull—and a chair, lampshade, and a suit made out of skin. After Gein was arrested, investigators discovered the remains of 10 women at his farm. He was committed to a mental institution for the rest of his life. In 1959, author Robert Bloch used Gein as the model for Norman Bates in his novel Psycho (including Gein’s unhealthy fascination with his domineering mother), and then Alfred Hitchcock turned it into a movie. Bonus: Gein also inspired Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs, and Bloody Face from the TV show American Horror Story. Note: Took me a long time to not be scared when using a shower curtain!
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Writer-director Wes Craven was creeped out by a story in the L.A. Times about three immigrants who died in their sleep. In one case, the man’s family begged him to go to sleep, but he insisted that his nightmares were different from anything he’d ever experienced and was terrified he’d die if he went to sleep. When he finally did fall asleep…he died. Craven also said that villain Freddy Krueger was based on a real-life creep: “The hat was the kind worn by men when I was a , and there was one particular man who scared me. He was a drunk that came down the sidewalk and woke me up when I was sleeping. I went to the window to look…He looked right into my eyes. I went back and hid for what I thought was hours. I finally crept back to the window, and he was still there! Then he started walking almost half-backwards so that he could keep looking at me.”
Note: I have never seen this one
The Girl Next Door (2007)
This movie tells the story of two teenage girls who were orphaned by their parents’ death. They go to live with their aunt, and she holds them captive, beats them, and tortures them ultimately leading to their death. This is based off of the real life story of Sylvia Likens. Her parents left her with a family friend while they travelled for work. Similar to the events in the movie, the family friend terrorized Sylvia and eventually killed her. Note: never heard of this film
The Amityville Horror Films (1979 -2015), The Conjuring Films (2013-16) and Annabelle (2014)
In 1952, Ed Warren, a self-described “demonologist,” and his wife Lorraine, a “trance medium,” founded the New England Society for Psychic Research. Twenty later, the Warrens investigated the Lutz family home on Long Island, New York, where six murders had occurred. That case inspired The Amityville Horror franchise. The Warrens’ investigation of similar ghostly events involving the Perron family home in 1971 became The Conjuring. And the movie Annabelle came from a “haunted doll” case that the Warrens investigated in 1970. Note: Haven't seen any of these films
So....are you a fan of horror movies? Any that you love or that scare the daylights out of you?
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I Believe....
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Posted:Oct 25, 2018 12:35 am
Last Updated:Aug 5, 2020 10:58 am
8436 Views
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When you are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness or are in a traumatic accident, you are confronted with your own mortality. It forces you to step back and think about what is really important to you and to confirm what you believe in. When you recover, your life is changed forever and you see things from a different perspective.
Here's what I know, I Believe in...
I Believe...God doesn’t give us more than we can handle.
I Believe...There are no coincidences, everything happens for a reason.
I Believe...No one has the right to judge me, except me and my God.
I Believe...In the Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
I Believe...Everyone should have the right to live their true, authentic selves.
I Believe...Every baby born can learn what’s wrong and right.
I Believe...In strong women
I Believe...In respect for elders.
I Believe...In Love
I Believe...In the importance of education.
I Believe...In being strong, even when everything seems to be going wrong.
I Believe...If you do what you love, you will love what you do.
I Believe...Happiness is something we can create.
I Believe...In sunshine
I Believe...You should live each day to the fullest, as you don't know what tomorrow will bring
I Believe...That each life is measured by the footprints left behind.
I Believe...The greatest gift I can conceive of having from anyone is to be seen by them, heard by them, to be understood and to be touched by them.
I Believe...In You
I Believe...I will wake up in the morning to face another day.
**************
What Do You Believe In?
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Halloween Fun Stuff
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Posted:Oct 24, 2018 9:08 am
Last Updated:Oct 30, 2018 8:45 pm
8085 Views
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Rather than posting about scary, spooky stuff, I decided to take a different direction and post some fun and silly stuff. Enjoy!
Why We Love Halloween So Much?
Seeing scary movies actually makes us feel good. Researchers say that fear and fun engage the same neurotransmitter in your brain. That’s why when you get scared, your next reaction is to laugh. In fact, within five seconds of feeling fear, your brain begins releasing dopamine, the feel good chemical, to help relieve any pain you may experience.
It gives us permission to be someone else for a night. We get tired of always having to have our “public face” on. It’s what we to do to fit in with society 364 days of the year. But on Halloween, we’re allowed to let our alter egos run loose.
Here are a few fun Halloween riddles and jokes. Scroll down to the bottom to find the answers.
1. Mystery Object
The person who built it, sold it. The person who bought it never used it. The person who used it never saw it.
What is it?
2. Shattered Glass
The Smith family is a very wealthy family that lives in a big, circular home.
One morning, Mr. Smith woke up and found his mirror had been shattered. He knew it was one of his employees who had done it. So he asked them what they were doing in the morning, and he got these replies.
Driver: “I was outside washing the car.”
Maid: “I was dusting the corners of the house.”
Cook: “I was starting to make lunch for later.”
From the replies, he knew who it was. Who do you think it was?
3. of A Surgeon
A man was driving with his in his car. They got into an accident and were in
critical condition. Two ambulances from two different hospitals arrive. The man is taken to one hospital and his to a different one. The doctor walks into the operating room, looks at the little boy, and says, “I can’t operate on this boy. He is my .”
How can this be?
4. Halloween Treats
How do you spell candy in 2 letters ?
5. Grave Men
Two men are walking in a graveyard. The first man walks to a grave. The second man says, “Who is in that grave?” The first man points to the grave and says, “Brothers and sisters I have none. But that man’s father is my father’s
.”
Who is in the grave?
6. Hotel Confusion
In a hotel, a man was sleeping when he heard a knock on the door. He shifted the blanket and stepped down from the bed. He walked to the door and opened it to find a stranger standing outside. Upon opening the gate, that stranger said, “Pardon me, I must have made a mistake. I thought this was my room.” The stranger then walked the corridor and climbed down the stairs. The man closed the door and immediately called the security. He asked them to arrest that stranger immediately.
Why did he ask them to arrest that stranger? What made him suspicious?
7. What room do ghosts avoid?
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Answers
1. A coffin.
2. The maid. The house was circular; it didn’t have any corners.
3. The doctor is the boy’s Mom.
4. C and Y. (C-and-y)
5. “That man’s father is my father’s ” refers to the speaker. Since he’s pointing to
the grave, it means he’s in the grave.
6. The stranger said that he thought the room was his. If so, he would have had the
keys to the room and thus he would not have knocked.
7. The living room.
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Monday Morning Blues
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Posted:Oct 22, 2018 11:21 am
Last Updated:Mar 20, 2022 5:26 pm
8091 Views
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Do you dread Mondays? It can bring on anxiety, sadness, stress, sluggishness and cardiovascular problems. Monday Blues are so prevalent, they have become a cultural phenomenon. By adjusting the way you view Mondays, you can take some of the control back and make yourself feel good.
1. Don’t live for the weekends.
Find something you love to do and do it on a weeknight. If you can feel joy on
the weekend you can feel it during the week. It may just take a little more
planning.
2. Relax. Don’t overload your weekends
You could end up feeling even more groggy and miserable during the week.
3. Don’t sleep in
The same sleep schedule all week will help you feel rested come Monday
morning. Studies have shown people who sleep in late on weekends could be
suffering from social jet lag.
4. Plan ahead Sunday night.
Figure out lunch and your outfit the night before and you won’t be scrambling
Monday morning. If you’ve got , get them organized as well to start
the week off right.
5. Get plenty of sleep
Being tired will only add to the stress of a hectic Monday.
6. Don’t skip breakfast.
This is true everyday but especially on Mondays when you’ve been out of your
routine for a few days.
7. Get pumped with some tunes.
Listening to a favourite song can help boost your Monday morning mood.
8. Get some exercise.
In the morning, before work. This will boost your endorphins, making you
happier throughout the day.
9. Look snazzy.
If you look good, you feel good. Wear something you absolutely love. If you
already feel groggy, dressing sloppy will only make you feel worse.
10. Smile.
Even if it’s forced, it can make you feel better.
11. Treat yourself.
Maybe splurge on a fancy latte or buy a new magazine for your morning
commute. Having something to look forward to on Mondays will make it feel
less daunting.
12. Take small breaks throughout the day.
Getting some fresh air and eating a proper lunch can do wonders for both
your attitude and productivity.
13. Figure out why Mondays are blue.
Is it time to switch careers? There’s something to be said for having a job that
doesn’t fill you with dread at the end of every weekend, and sometimes
even taking a pay cut to be happy is worth it. It is possible to like, or even
love, your work.
Do you feel stressed when you think about returning to work on Mondays? What do you do to overcome the 'blues'
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Just The Facts
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Posted:Oct 19, 2018 12:32 am
Last Updated:Sep 14, 2021 5:46 pm
8758 Views
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I would like to post more often but have hit the proverbial 'brick wall' trying to think of new story ideas. Being the curious type, weird, whacky facts and trivia have always interested me. Perhaps you are the same and will enjoy these tidbits of information which were posted online by Reader's Digest:
Flamingos bend their legs at the ankle, not the knee
They essentially stand on tip-toe. Their knees are closer to the body and are covered by feathers.
Roller coasters were invented to distract Americans from sin
In the 1880s, hosiery businessman LaMarcus Thompson hated that Americans were tempted by hedonistic places like saloons and brothels. So he set out to straighten up one of the most immoral places he could think of: Coney Island in New York. There, he built America’s first roller coaster to give New Yorkers some good, clean fun.
Sloths can hold their breath longer than dolphins can
By slowing their heart rates, sloths can hold their breath for up to 40 minutes. Dolphins need to come up for air after about 10 minutes.
Supermarket apples can be a year old
Those fresh apples aren’t all that fresh, per say. They’re usually picked between August and November, covered in wax, hot-air dried, and sent into cold storage. After six to 12 months, they finally land on your grocery store shelves.
It’s impossible to hum while holding your nose
You just tested it, didn’t you? Normally, when you hum, the air is able to escape through your nose to create the sound, and of course, it can’t do that when you’re holding it shut.
Octopuses have three hearts
Squids do too. One pumps blood to their whole systems, and two are dedicated just to the gills.
In the Philippines, McDonald’s serves spaghetti
The pasta comes with a beef tomato sauce and a piece of “McDo” fried chicken.
Lobsters taste with their feet
Tiny bristles inside a lobster’s little pincers are their equivalent to human taste buds. Meanwhile, lobsters’ teeth are in one of their three stomachs.
3 Musketeers bars got their name because they used to come with three flavours
The original 3 Musketeers bars of the 1930s came in three-packs, with a different nougat flavour in each: vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry. World War II rations made that triple threat expensive, so the company cut down to one.
The shortest war in history lasted 38 minutes
When the sultan of British-protected Zanzibar died and a new one took over without British approval in 1896, the Brits were not happy. Tension escalated when Sultan Khalid bin Barghash refused to step down, but the British warships spent less than 40 minutes bombarding the palace before Khalid fled, marking the (very quick) end of the Anglo-Zanzibar War.
The world’s largest waterfall is underwater
Yes, there are waterfalls under the ocean. At the Denmark Straight, the cold water from the Nordic Sea is denser than the Irminger Sea’s warm water, making it drop almost two miles down at 123 million cubic feet per second.
Strawberries aren’t berries
Neither are raspberries and blackberries, according to botanists. True berries stem from one single-ovary flower and have two or more seeds. Strawberries don’t fit that bill, but bananas, kiwis, and watermelon do.
The U.S. treasury once printed $100,000 bills
Between December 18, 1934, and January 9, 1935, the notes with Woodrow Wilson’s face were issued to Federal Reserve Banks but never went out to the general public.
A flock of ravens is called an “unkindness”
They’re also known as a “conspiracy,” which is equally creepy.
Before toilet paper was invented, Americans used to use corn cobs
Alternatively, they’d use periodicals like the Farmers Almanac, which was designed with a hole so it could hang in outhouses.
William McKinley was shot right after giving away his good-luck charm
President McKinley always wore a red carnation for good luck but sometimes gave it out as a memento. When greeting the crowd in 1901, he handed a 12-year-old girl, Myrtle, the bloom off his lapel, saying “I must give this flower to another little flower.” Minutes later, he was fatally shot by a man in the crowd.
So......did you learn something new?
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Stop Doing This In The Bathroom!
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Posted:Oct 18, 2018 12:20 am
Last Updated:Mar 18, 2022 10:25 am
8055 Views
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These seemingly harmless bathroom habits may impact your health and hygiene. So stop doing them!
Flushing The Toilet With The Lid Up
Fecal matter and urine can fly as far as six feet away from the toilet bowl during each flush, according to Charles Gerba, a microbiologist from the University of Arizona. Close the lid before you flush to keep those gross particles in your toilet and out of the air!
Throwing Wet Wipes In The Toilet
Many “flushable” wipes aren’t as toilet-friendly as they claim to be. In fact, tests conducted by Consumer Reports showed that some personal cleansing wipes still couldn’t break down in the water after 10 minutes compared to regular toilet paper which disintegrated within seconds. These “flushable” wipes have been well known for clogging sewer systems in big cities like San Francisco and New York. Other toiletries that should never be flushed down the toilet include: sanitary napkins, tampons, condoms, band-aids, and dental floss.
Sitting On The Toilet Too Long
Some people like to use their toilet time to catch up on a good book or scroll through their phone. But there is a common health risk associated with sitting on the ceramic throne for too long: hemorrhoids. The seated position places a lot of pressure on the veins in your lower rectum which can swell or bulge and cause hemorrhoids. Just remember that the toilet isn’t the time or place for “me” time.
Using The Same Washcloth To Clean Your Face
Moist things like your washcloth are the perfect paradise for bacteria to latch onto. Grab a new washcloth before you wash your face each time. If a new washcloth seems a bit excessive for your daily routine, use your hands to scrub your face. And make sure you switch your towel out every couple of days too. Damp towels also harbour lots of bacteria.
You Don’t Rinse Your Soap Bar Between Uses
One study said that pathogenic organisms may be hiding out on bar soap during and after use, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But research shows that the bacteria from a soap bar are unlikely to transfer onto your hands. Just to be safe, you should always rinse your bar soap under running water to wash away the germs before lathering up and store the soap in a dry place to keep the bacteria away since they love moist environments.
Keeping Your Toothbrush Too Close To The Toilet
Toothbrushes should be stored about four feet away or more from the toilet because, as noted above, fecal matter and urine can propel from the toilet bowl when you flush with the lid open. The sink is another area that’s off-limits since soap and dirty water can splash onto your toothbrush. The American Dental Association recommends storing toothbrushes separately in an upright position in a dry area to prevent the risk of harboring bacteria and cross-contamination.
You Don’t Wash Your Hands Long Enough
Twenty seconds is all it takes to give your hands a proper scrubbing with soap and water, according to the CDC. But at least 95 per cent of people don’t wash their hands long enough to effectively kill germs based on a Michigan State University study. The average hand-washing time was less than half of the CDC’s recommendation—only six seconds. Need a clever way to keep track of time? Sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice to give you the perfect amount of time to properly clean your hands.
You Place The Toilet Brush Back Into Its Holder Immediately
Toilet germs and moisture breed and multiply every time you put a toilet brush back into its holder right after each use. Let the brush dry completely after you’ve finished cleaning the toilet bowl so you’re not scrubbing the same bacteria back into your toilet the next time you use it.
So....are you going to think twice about what you have been doing?
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Risky Business
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Posted:Oct 15, 2018 11:16 pm
Last Updated:Sep 16, 2021 4:19 pm
8099 Views
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Many jobs have inherent risks, while with others, the risks are not so obvious. It’s only when you see the injury and death statistics that you appreciate the dangers the workers face everyday. Here are some jobs that fall into that category:
Lumberjack
An investigation by the Globe and Mail, in collaboration with Statistics Canada, found that forestry had the 10th highest number of traumatic injury fatalities, with 57 deaths between 2011 and 2015. It also found that it was the second deadliest industry in Canada.
Trash and Recycling Collectors
Trash and recycling collectors have the fifth most dangerous job in the United States. According to the latest data from the Bureau Labour Statistics, 31 total deaths were recorded in 2016, many from workers falling off trucks, getting hit by vehicles while on the job, or accidents with machinery.
Roofers
A 2017 investigation by the Globe and Mail found that roofers in Canada are five times more likely to die on the job than police officers!
Vets
In Australia, it’s mental health that plagues workers in this industry. These employees are up to four times more likely to fall victim to suicide than the rest of the Australian population!
Aircraft pilot and Flight Engineers
In 2015, crew fatalities accounted for 62 per cent of total aircraft fatalities, with the other 38 per cent being passengers, according to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. That year, there were 251 aviation accidents reported, 227 of which involved a Canadian-registered aircraft.
Farmers
According to the study by Statistics Canada and the Globe and Mail, farmers had the 10th highest traumatic injury fatality rate in Canada between 2011 and 2015. They saw an average of 23.9 deaths per 100,000 workers.
Deep-sea Fishermen
There’s a reason Deadliest Catch is such a popular show. In a data project with Statistics Canada, fishing was found to be the deadliest job in Canada. The highest cause of death in this industry, is drowning. In a 2012 report released by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, falling overboard was found to be the second highest cause of death.
Miners
For workers in this industry around the world, the dangers are rife. China has the world’s largest mining industry and also one of the deadliest. A report found that the country accounts for 80 per cent of coal-mining deaths around the world each year, mostly a result of explosions.
Grounds Maintenance Workers
According to the Bureau Labour Statistics, these workers had the 10th most dangerous job in 2016, with 217 total fatalities reported. Most workers died from transportation accidents, while others were the result of falls, being struck by loose objects, or electrocutions.
Truck Drivers
Truck drivers had the highest number of fatalities on the job in 2016 than any other occupation in the United States, with a death rate of 24.7 per 100,000 workers. The report also found that out of all work injuries across all industries, transportation incidents remained the most prominent cause of death.
What's dangerous about your job?
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When Humour Can Help You Out
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Posted:Oct 9, 2018 10:33 pm
Last Updated:Oct 16, 2018 12:01 am
7806 Views
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I decided to post something light-hearted.
Sometimes we are put into awkward situations with family and friends and are stuck to come up with the right thing to say. Often laughter will lighten the scenario. That's when phrases like these can come in handy:
When your friend complains about the weight loss program they are on:
I’m on a seafood diet. I see food, and then I eat it.
When one of your relatives asks when you’re going to have :
I am jealous of my parents. I’ll never have a as cool as theirs, one who is smart, has good looks, and knows all sorts of funny phrases.
When you’re told to get your butt off the couch
I am not lazy. just very relaxed.
When you see motivational posters in your office
Don’t you tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon.
When your friend acts overly ambitious
You can’t have everything. Where would you put it?
When he just can’t get over the breakup
If you can’t live without me, then why aren’t you dead yet?
When your family is concerned about your weight
I get enough exercise from pushing my luck.
@Readers Digest
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She Never Wanted To Be A Cougar!
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Posted:Oct 1, 2018 10:51 pm
Last Updated:Jan 1, 2022 7:07 pm
8841 Views
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When considering joining an online dating site, she did a lot of thinking about her own boundaries. What was she not willing to compromise on?
She considered herself a rational, intelligent woman and after much contemplation, she determined there was no way, she would consider someone the same age or younger than her own . To her, that would just be too weird and reek of being desperate. She knew she wasn’t one of those mature women who needed to validate their sex appeal by being with someone much younger.
She pre-booked a room in the luxury hotel so that once the tech. conference meetings and sessions were finished, she could relax and enjoy an evening out. Her friends that were at the conference, had all scurried off to fulfill their own plans and barely thought twice about leaving her on her own. It didn’t bother her as she couldn’t wait to kick off her heels and enjoy a long, hot shower.
With her hair wrapped in a towel, she donned the hotel-issued soft, fluffy bathrobe and poured herself a glass of chilled, white wine. She sat on the over-sized couch, and glanced around the beautiful room as her mind started to wander. She kept thinking of his words ‘If you ever change your mind, just let me know.’ Could she? Did she have the nerve to contact him?
Finally, she decided she had nothing to lose. ‘He’s probably out anyway so what are the chances he’ll actually respond,’ she convinced herself.
‘Guess where I am? ’ she typed into her iPhone and hesitated briefly before pressing Send.
She was shocked when she quickly heard the ding of an incoming message. ‘Hey beautiful. It’s great to hear from you. What’s happening?’ his words lit up the screen.
‘The conference is finished and I am in my room at the Westin Hotel,’ she responded.
‘What else are you up to?’ he inquired.
‘I just had a relaxing, long hot shower,’ she replied.
‘Hmmm… so now you are naked and wanting some company?’ he teased.
Her heart started pounding as she debated how to respond. There was no doubt, that once she crossed the line, there would be no turning back.
‘Only if you would like to drop by,’ she entered and held her breath.
‘I can be there in 30 minutes. Will that be soon enough?’ he responded.
‘Yes, that would be perfect. I am in room #710. It’s at the end of the hall. Just come right up when you get here,’ she instructed.
Oh my gosh! What the heck had she just done? A single, tall, good looking, guy who was 25 years younger than her, was on his way over!
She didn’t have much time to get ready. Black mascara, ruby-red lipstick and her favourite perfume sprayed between her cleavage and on her wrists was all she needed before deciding what to wear. She knew she had to pick out just the right outfit to wow him when he arrived.
She slithered into her favourite full-length, black, fishnet bodysuit that hugged her curves and accentuated her breasts. Black stilettoes completed her ensemble. She took a long, slow sip of wine, checked herself in the mirror, and decided she was ready.
The knock on the door quickly reminded her, she was going to break her self-imposed online dating rule.
She took a deep breath, walked confidently to the door and as she slowly opened it, she stepped back so that he would get a full, head-to-toe look at her.
He strode in and devoured her with his eyes and placed a bottle of wine on the table next to her. He turned around and paused, and as leaned towards her, she felt his warm breath on her cheek, as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
She was pressed against his hard and lean body, as the scent of his musky cologne filled her nostrils. She couldn’t think. All she could was feel… feel the strength of him, the warmth of his mouth on hers, the sensual touch of his fingers across the small of her back and her hands pressed against the softness of his sweater.
A longing, starting deep in her soul, spread outward and throbbed for release as the pressure of his lips increased. Her lips parted willingly and his tongue slipped into the recesses of her mouth, causing a shudder to pass through her. Her knees were weak and almost buckled beneath her.
Without letting go nor removing his lips from hers, he walked her backwards, until she felt the side of the bed brushing against the backs of her legs. They lay down in unison, locked together in a passionate embrace.
She completely surrendered herself to him. Time was suspended. Age was immaterial. All that mattered was that 2 consenting adults, gave themselves to each other unconditionally.
Exhausted, satiated and spent - she fell asleep.
When she awakened, she reached out and realized she was alone. While the smell of sex permeated the air, she noticed the handwritten note propped up on the pillow beside her, ‘I can’t wait to do this again. Let me know when you are available’.
She smiled contentedly, snuggled deeper into the covers, knowing she would never initiate a next time.
Did she make the right decision?
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Fun Facts About The English Alphabet
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Posted:Sep 25, 2018 1:44 am
Last Updated:Sep 20, 2021 5:12 pm
8645 Views
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My love for the English language started when I was quite young. I adored doing crossword puzzles and playing Scrabble. Today, I continue to play various online word games and am very competitive!
Thought you might enjoy these interesting facts...…
Quick! Try naming five words that start with the letter L:
lollipop,
lazy,
long,
love,
liquid,
language…and the list goes on and on.
Now, try naming five words that start with the letter X:
xylophone,
x-ray,
xenia …not so easy, right?
Still racking your brain for more words that start with an X? You might want to stop because the Oxford English Dictionary only contains 400 words that begin with the letter X.
In Noah Webster’s Compendious Dictionary, which he published in 1806, there was only one word listed under the letter X: xebec, which meant, “a small three-masted vessel in the Mediterranean.” In 1828, when he put together his American Dictionary, that had only risen to 13. The of words starting with the letter X continued to rise until it reached the 400 that we have today.
Now, can you guess the most common letters in the English language? Those hours of watching Wheel of Fortune might just pay off.
The most common letter in the English language is the letter E.
E is everywhere. In an analysis of all 240,000 entries in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary, the letter E appears in approximately 11% of all words in the common English vocabulary, about 6,000 more words than the runner-up letter, A. Did you know, E is the most commonly struck letter on your keyboard, and the second most popular key after the space bar.
And for my American friends, there’s only one letter that’s not in any U.S. State Name. Can You Guess It? Hmmm, 50 states, only 25 letters. Which one's missing?
The answer is…Q. That’s right. 50 different names, and not one of them contains the letter Q. And, every very other letter shows up at least once.
If you guessed J or Z, though, you were close, and probably don’t live in New Jersey or Arizona, since those are the only states that contain J and Z respectively. There are a couple of other rare letters, too, that only show up twice. No states but Alabama and Nebraska have a B in their name, and California and Florida are the only state names that contain F. If X was your guess, you were also close but it is in New Mexico and Texas.
The only other letter with fewer than five appearances might surprise you: P! It’s only in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Mississippi (the latter’s double-P bumps it up to four appearances, even though it’s only in three state names).
Hope you enjoyed these fascinating facts.
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To link to this blog (sexyldy1000) use [blog sexyldy1000] in your messages.
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