The family, that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor in our innermost hearts never quite wish to. ~ Dodie Smith ~
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11
A Brewery in Canada Makes Beer Using Water from 20,000-Year-Old Icebergs
Everyone wants their beer to be cool and refreshing, but one Canadian brewery also wants their beer to be as pure as possible. That's why Quidi Vidi Brewery in Newfoundland and Labrador harvests water directly from icebergs that are up to 20,000 years old and float down the area's Iceberg Alley. According to NPR, "The ice formed tens of thousands of years ago from compacted snow … [which] means there are no minerals and lots of tiny bubbles trapped inside. It gives the golden beer a special, very light taste."
12
The Slinky Was Created by Accident
Inventor Richard James, a naval engineer, was trying to create a spring that could help stabilize equipment on boats in choppy waters. However, his spring's ability to move seemingly on its own proved more interesting and became the prototype for the Slinky in 1943.
13
At Any Given Moment, There Are Approximately 2,000 Thunderstorms Happening on Earth
Some areas of the planet experience extreme weather more often than others. But at any given time there are an estimated 2,000 thunderstorms happening in different locations on Earth, according to the National Severe Storms Laboratory.
Annually, there are about 16 million thunderstorms across the globe and around 100,000 of them occur somewhere in the United States.
14
Michelangelo Hated Painting the Sistine Chapel and Wrote a Poem About It
There are plenty of stories about how painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was quite literally a pain for Michelangelo—the artist had to be in an incredibly awkward position to complete the work of art. He supposedly hated the task so much that he wrote a poem about it.
The sonnet, which was originally written in his native Italian in 1509, has been translated by American poet Gail Mazur. Here's a sample: "My stomach's squashed under my chin, my beard's pointing at heaven, my brain's crushed in a casket, my breast twists like a harpy's."
15
A Million Earths Would Fit Inside the Sun
If the sun were hollow, you could fit a million Earths inside it, according to Cornell's Ask an Astronomer. That's because the sun has a radius 100 times that of the Earth!
16
The Letter Z Was Removed from the Alphabet for 200 Years
It's hard to imagine an alphabet that doesn't include A, Z, and every other letter in between. However, around 300 BC, the Roman censor Appius Claudius Caecus had Z removed from the alphabet due to the fact that it wasn't used that much. The letter S was also nixed and the letter G was added. It took another 200 years for Z to make its way back to the end of the alphabet.
17
The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council Ruled that Hot Dogs Aren't Sandwiches
There are plenty of debates when it comes to what actually constitutes a sandwich. Is it anything that's surrounded by something bread-like? What does that mean for tacos, burritos, hamburgers, and hot dogs?
While you can argue about the first three all you want, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) made an official ruling when it comes to hot dogs: They deemed that hot dogs are not sandwiches. "Limiting a hot dog's significance by saying it's 'just a sandwich' is like calling the Dalai Lama 'just a guy,'" said Janet Riley, the president of the NHDSC.
18
A Coffee Taster Had His Tongue Insured for £10 Million
Gennaro Pelliccia doesn't just appreciate a good cup of coffee—he's a professional coffee taster who works for England's Costa Coffee company. His discerning tongue is so key to his job that he was able to insure it for a whopping £10 million ($11.3 million) with Lloyd's of London. "My tongue and my ability to perceive different aromas are very important to my work," Pelliccia told the Lifestyle Inquirer.
19
The Chills You Get When Listening to Music Are Caused by Your Brain Releasing Dopamine
Some songs affect you more than others, pumping you up with energy or making you cry ugly tears. And then there are tunes that give you the chills. When that happens, it's due to the fact that your brain reacts to the stimulation by releasing dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that causes pleasure.
20
More People Tuned Into Prince Charles and Princess Diana's Wedding Than for the Friends, Cheers, Seinfeld, and M*A*S*H finales combined
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding amassed nearly 30 million viewers in the U.S. The 2019 Super Bowl brought in more than 98 million viewers. But Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana had 750 million people worldwide tune in to see them wed!
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Good morning everyboomie, and welcome to the new week!
I'm getting things started early for you. I'm watching the Cowboys game, and as soon as it's over I need to get my shower, and then I want to get to some gaming.
I also need to have supper. Not sure what I'll eat. I was going to have a sandwich, but now that I know hot dogs are not sandwiches, I don't think I'll ever eat another hot dog.
I'll probably just have some wiener soup.
Have a happy Monday everyone.
joe