Quote of the Day
"Only your compassion and your loving kindness are invincible, and without limit."
Thich Nhat Hanh
Writing Prompt of the Day
What is Your Favourite Place in Your House?
Day's Conversation Starter
What piece of technology is really frustrating to use?
Joke of the Day
What do sprinters eat before a race?
Nothing, they fast!
Top Fun Fact
Swedish meatballs originated from a recipe King Charles XII brought back from Turkey in the early 1800s.
History Fact
Ketchup Was Sold in the 1830s as Medicine
Forget Ibuprofen. In the 1830s, when it came to popular medicine, ketchup was all the rage. In 1834, it was sold as a cure for indigestion by an Ohio physician named John Cook. It wasn't popularized as a condiment until the late 19th century. The more you know.
Weird Laws
It is Illegal to Fly a Kite in Victoria, Australia
In Australia's southeastern tip of Victoria, home to Melbourne, it is illegal to fly a kite in a public space if it bothers another person. In fact, you cannot even play a game in a public place if it annoys someone else.
Listed as part of Summary Offences Act of 1966, the Aussies probably won't mind if you do decide to fly a kite while you visit.
Foody Things
Ireland
It will anger the Irish to be compared in any way to the UK (next slide!), but the foods are pretty similar. Sorry!
There are a couple things Ireland does better, though. One is the beer; this is, after all, the birthplace of Guinness.
The other is butter, which truly does melt in the mouth here. With a high-fat concentration that makes it extra creamy — plus the cows get to nosh on Irish green grass all day — Irish butter is fantastic.
Otherwise, Ireland is basically known as the home of potato dishes. So it's safe to say that, on the lengthy list of reasons to visit the Emerald Isle, food isn't near the top.
Movie/TV Trivia
Jaws' Most Famous Line Was Improvised
The best-known line from Jaws ("You're gonna need a bigger boat," not "We're gonna need a bigger boat," as it's often misquoted, by the way) was not in the actual script. Actor Roy Scheider said it throughout the filming, joking about the small boat the producers had selected to hold the filming equipment, and it ended up in the final cut.
Movie/TV Quote
"Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night."
All About Eve, 1950