Daily Quote
"In youth we learn; in age we understand."
Marie von Ebner-Eschenbac
Writing Prompt
What Are Your Most Memorable Stories About Wildlife?
Conversation Starter
If your mind was an island, what would it look like?
Joke of the Day
Knowing how to pick locks has really opened a lot of doors for me.
Fun Fact
Every year on Aug. 5, the Mars Curiosity rover sings itself a sad, solitary "Happy Birthday."
History Fact
Alexander the Great was buried alive… accidentally.
At age 32 when he died, Alexander the Great had conquered and created the largest land-based empire the world has ever seen. It stretched from the Balkans to Pakistan.
In 323 BC, Alexander fell ill and, after 12 days of excruciating pain, he seemingly passed away.
However, his corpse didn’t show any signs of rot or decomposition for a whole six days.
Modern-day scientists believe Alexander suffered from the neurological disorder Guillain-Barré Syndrome.
They believe that when he “died” he was actually just paralyzed and mentally aware. Basically, he was horrifically buried alive!
Weird Laws
MONTANA
Driving animals onto a railroad track with intent to injure the train can result in a fine up to $50,000, a stay at the state prison not exceeding five years, and other damages.
Food Thing
Best Cream-Cheese Dishes in the U.S.
We all know the delicacy that is a fresh New York bagel with a healthy schmear of cream cheese. If you want to go wild, try Becky’s Bites in the East Village,
which aims to “make New York City known for its cream cheese in the same way the city is famous for its bagels.” Schmears come with a sweet twist in flavors ranging from cookies and cream to peanut butter to funfetti birthday cake. Want something more conventional? Order a bagel with regular-old cream cheese at a New York classic like Ess-a-Bagel or Absolute Bagels (pictured here).
Of course, you can also get your bagel-with-cream-cheese fix outside NYC, courtesy of national chains like Einstein & Co., which offers its own inventive versions of cream cheese (the smoked salmon and jalapeno salsa varieties are weird but awesome).
Cream cheese is additionally used to make the wonder that is cheesecake. For this, too, New York City reigns supreme, though you can find wonderful offerings all across the country.
Movie/TV Trivia
Now You See Me
Isla Fisher got into difficulty while filming the piranha tank scene. The top of the tank remained opened so that Fisher would be able to swim to the top to get some air, and there was also an emergency lever inside the tank that, if pulled, would alert the crew that she needed help. During one take, Fisher was running out of air, and tried to swim to the top, but the chains on the handcuffs she was wearing got stuck on the bottom of the tank, so she was unable to swim to the top, or pull the lever. She then attempted to alert the crew by hitting the glass of the tank, but since her character is supposed to be panicked and scared in the scene, the crew thought she was acting. She was stuck for three minutes, before the Stunt Coordinator finally realized that something was wrong, after he noticed that her handcuffs were stuck.
Movie/TV Quote
"Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary."
Dead Poets Society, 1989.