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Our topic for this week is beavers. Now it’s a fair enough question for you to be asking at this point - “why”? The answer is because beavers are fascinating creatures that have captured the imagination and curiosity of humans from time immemorial. These industrious animals (rodents to be exact) are known for their ability to construct elaborate dams and lodges, creating entire ecosystems in the process. With their distinctive flat tails, webbed hind feet, and sharp incisors, beavers have adapted to life in and around bodies of fresh water, making them excellent swimmers and engineers. Indeed, beavers are such unique creatures that Shakespeare devoted a whole subgenre of his writings to them. He referred to this collection as “Shakespeare’s Beaver Tales”. Their existence remains largely unknown as they were once regarded as highly controversial, resulting in only a limited number of individuals being aware of them. They challenged the societal norms of the day and ridiculed the establishment by putting beavers in the place of kings, queens, and all members of the elite. Due to their satirical nature, and as a tip of the hat to the plays’ protagonists, they were performed only in underground theaters to special invitation only audiences. Today, schools don’t teach or even acknowledge the existence of these long-lost plays that celebrated what might be called a “Rodent Renaissance”. The elitist viewpoint being, if it was widely known that Shakespeare devoted a considerable amount of his energy to writing plays about beavers it would somehow detract from his more well-known body of work. We have been fortunate enough to locate some of these little-known and long-hidden works and will be providing a selection of quotes from them, along with the plays name, interspersed with our look at that uniquely singular rodent, the beaver. So, here’s to you Will! Now, gentle reader, thou might be pondering the sheer audacity of suggesting that the great Shakespeare devoted quill to parchment for tales of beavers. Fear not, for thou art not alone in thy disbelief. As we delve into this clandestine world of rodent revelry, let us collectively suspend our disbelief and revel in the beaver-infused brilliance that hath long been hidden beneath the dust of time. Upon yon verdant stage, where the dappled sunlight doth waltz with the shadows of ancient trees, a troupe of creatures cometh forth, their industrious exploits a tale to rival the most storied dramas of Shakespearean lore. Hark, for we delve into the woodlands, where the beaver, a silent protagonist of the aqueous realm, assumes the mantle of an unwitting Shakespearean hero. With paws that wield the tools of creation, and a cunning that rivals the most astute characters of the Bard’s quill, the beaver tales unfold – narratives wrought with the poetry of nature and the toil of an architect unburdened by the limits of human endeavor. Indeed, a tale that Ayn Rand herself spoke enviously of in one of her lesser-known works entitled “The Beaver Shrugged”. Thus, fair reader, as the body of the blog post draws on apace, let the curtain rise on this woodland theater. Verily, we shall embark upon an exploration of the beaver’s saga, with pomp, with triumph and with reveling, where the currents of fate flow as surely as the streams they divert, where the industrious dam-builders taketh center stage, and the echoes of Shakespearean verse resonate in the ceaseless rustle of the leaves. Beavers used to be really big: Beavers are amphibious rodents and are native to North America, Europe, and Asia. They are thickset and heavy, about 1.2 m (4 ft) long, including a 30 cm (1 ft) paddle-shaped, scaly, flat tail; they weigh as much as 32 kg (70 lb). Their legs are short and their hind feet large and webbed. They use their forepaws like hands. During the last Ice Age beavers were giant. They grew up to 2.5 m (8 ft) long and weighed up to 160 kg (350 lb). “To be a beaver, or not to be a beaver: that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler in the tail, to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous hunters, or to take arms against a pond of troubles.” Beaverlet, Act III, Scene I Beaver Dams can be enormous: Beavers build dams and lodges using tree branches, vegetation, rocks, and mud. Dams restrict water flow, and lodges serve as shelters. The dams are engineered according to the speed of the water; in slow water the dam is built straight, but in fast water the dam is built with a curve in it. This provides stability so that the dam won’t be washed away. The world’s largest known beaver dam stretches for 850 meters (2,800 ft) in the wilderness of northern Alberta, Canada. It was discovered after being spotted on a satellite image in 2007 (Great Wall of China, eat your heart out). Scientists believe multiple generations of beavers have been working on the dam since the 1970’s. In 2014, explorer Rob Mark became the first person to ever reach the dam. “All the world’s a dam, and all the beavers merely players; Their lodges have their exits and entrances, and one beaver in his time builds many parts.” As You Build It, Act II, Scene VII Tales of Beaver Tails: The beaver’s most notable feature is its large, flat tail. The tail can serve as a rudder when swimming and it also assists them when sitting or standing upright. When they sense danger, beavers strike their tail on the surface of the water which will serve as a warning to their fellow animals. Of course, sometimes they likely just do it for fun. Beavers don’t hibernate in winter so, in addition to hanging out with the food they’ve stored in their lodge, their tail serves as a fat storage area which helps them to survive. “To thine own tail be true.” Beaverlet, Act I, Scene III Better in Water than on Land: Beavers look pretty funny while on land, but when they’re in the water it’s a whole different story. They can swim up to five miles per hour in water. In addition, their fur is naturally oily and waterproof, which helps them keep dry and warm even when submerged for long periods. And beavers can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes underwater. They have transparent eyelids that serve as goggles and eye and nose valves that shut to keep water out when they swim. “Once more unto the water and into the dam, dear friends, once more; Or close the wall up with our beaver kin. In peace there’s nothing so becomes a beaver, as modest stillness and humility.” Beaver V, Act III, Scene I Beavers are helpless romantics: Well, at least they’re monogamous. Dams are usually started by a young male looking for love or by a mated-for-life new couple. A whole beaver family – mom, dad, young kids, and yearlings – will live together in a single dam. After their first year, the young help their parents with repairs to the dams and lodges, and older siblings may also help raise newly born offspring. “Sweet, so would I; Yet I should kill thee with much munching. Good lunch, good dinner! Chewing is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be breakfast time in the morrow.” Beavero and Beaverette, Act II, Scene II Iron Teeth: No, not a reference to a James Bond baddie. We’re talking about beaver teeth. They’re orange in color from an iron-rich protective coating of enamel that helps prevent tooth decay and strengthens them. This iron-rich enamel makes them incredibly strong, sharp, and orange. Their front teeth stick out of their lips, but don’t let the goofy look fool you. They can chew up an eight-foot tree within five minutes. Their teeth are so strong that they can cut through trees, shrubs, and branches that they then drag to add as a foundation to their lodges and dams. “If tree bark be the food of love, chew on; give me excess of it, that overfeeding.” Twelfth Dam, Act I, Scene I Beaver Paratroopers: In 1948, new human inhabitants began moving into the western portion of Idaho, which had been a wooded wilderness for centuries. And they began to clash with some of the original inhabitants – especially the local beaver population. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game wanted to put these threatened beavers in a nearby protected area, but they didn't know how to get them there. Elmo Heter, an employee of the Idaho Fish and Game Department, devised an ingenious solution: by using surplus parachutes from World War II, the department could drop boxes of beavers into the backcountry by plane. The specially-designed wooden boxes would open on impact. After some careful calibrations, and a beaver test-pilot named Geronimo, 76 beavers made the skydive into the reserve. And all but one survived the fall. “Friends, beavers, countrymen, lend me your tails; I come to bury food for the winter, not to consume it with praise.” Julius Beaver, Act III, Scene II Beavers don’t bite off their own testicles: While this one may sound pretty obvious, up until the 14th or 15th centuries, people thought that beavers actually did this. The myth originated with the ancient Egyptians, who had hieroglyph’s depicting a beaver chewing off his testicles. In the West, Aesop wrote about the myth in his famous fables: “When pursued, the beaver runs, but when he sees he cannot escape, he will bite off his own testicles and throw them to the hunter, and thus escape death.” The myth lived on in The Medieval Bestiary well into the Middle Ages. In 1188 Gerald of Wales, gave a more detailed account saying that the beaver will “ransom his body by the sacrifice of a part,” and adds that once castrated, “he has the sagacity to run to an elevated spot, and there lifting up his leg, shows the hunter that the object of his pursuit is gone.” It turns out what our ancients had confused for testicles were in fact small external bumps that connect to internal castor sacs, which produce an oily castoreum. By rubbing its bum all over logs and rocks and such, the beaver marks its territory with the oil’s musky, vanilla-esque scent. And this vanilla scent was much prized by hunters. Of course, the very word “castoreum” seems to have an obvious cousin: castration. The Latin word for beaver is “castor” but it doesn’t share the same root as castration. Castor comes from the Sanskrit for musk. This etymological confusion no doubt played a part in helping to perpetuate this strange and somewhat uncomfortable myth. “A beaver! A Beaver! My kingdom for a beaver!” Beaver III, Act V, Scene IV Putting the cart before the beaver: Gerald of Wales brought us even more detailed information about the beaver’s strange lifestyle in his 1188 book Journey Through Wales. He claimed that when constructing their dams, beavers “make use of the animals of their own species instead of carts.” A few individuals obey “the dictates of nature” and “receive on their bellies the logs of wood cut off by their associates.” Holding tight with their feet, and having “transverse pieces placed in their mouths,” the unfortunate workers are "drawn along backwards, with their cargo, by other beavers, who fasten themselves with their teeth to the raft.” They were, in essence, living skis. (We think-eth that Gerald may have stumbled-eth across some magical mushrooms during his journey across-eth Wales.) “We are such stuff as dams are made on, and our little lodges are rounded for our sleep.” The Beaverfest, Act IV, Scene I Beavers are geniuses: We’re guessing that by now you already know this. But, to drive the point home, beavers are often called ecological engineers. They are one of the few animals that can manipulate their surroundings to create a suitable habitat but that isn’t the only reason why they are considered ecological engineers —the dams they build create wetlands which are essential habitats for thousands of species. These wetlands sponge up floodwaters, alleviate drought, lessen erosion, and act as the earth’s kidneys that purify water. Wetlands also prevent wildfires from spreading, as well as serving as a reservoir for animals who need water to survive.Beavers are considered keystone species, in other words, they are critical for the health of the environment. Out, out swift timber! This beaver, a lumbering silhouette, this humble builder; that dams and labors in its span, and then is heard no more: it has been a tale, told by a rodent, full of industry and rustling, signifying nothing more than the shaping of a dam. Macbeaver, Act V, Scene V Thus, we’ve come to the end of this brief look into the life and times of the beaver. Not to mention exposing a side of Shakespeare that he kept mostly hidden, only sharing with his closest friends. But before thou judgest the legitimacy of Shakespeare’s Beaver Tales, ponder this: didst thou ever imagine the Bard taking a break from his tragic soliloquies and romantic sonnets to compose odes to beavers? Aye, ‘tis a whimsical thought indeed. But, gentle reader, we hope you were able to suspend thy skepticism and enjoyed this journey into the beaver-infested corners of Elizabethan drama. We trust that was the case and thought it most appropriate to let the Bard have the final word in today’s post. So, we’ll end with the final stanza from one of his most popular underground plays – A Midsummer Beaver’s Dream, Act V, Scene I Robin the Beaver If we beavers have caused dismay, Consider this, and all will be okay, You merely dozed in your cozy den, While these whimsical visions did then begin. This feeble tale, a mere reverie, No more substantial than a dam you see, Dear readers, do not take offense, If you forgive, we’ll make recompense. And, as I am an honest beaver true, If fortune unearned has come to you, To escape the serpent’s hiss so sly, Amends we’ll make, we won’t deny. Lest you call this beaver a fibber’s kin, Bid you goodnight, let amends begin. Extend your paws, if we’re in accord, And Robin the beaver will mend what’s stored. #beavers #rodents #shakespeare #drama #comedy #tragedy #rodent #verse #aynrand #anyhigh

Embarking on the daily odyssey of consciousness can be as daunting as deciphering hieroglyphs, but for the elixir that has woven itself into the tapestry of human existence – coffee. From the incense-laden coffeehouses of ancient Constantinople to the bustling cafes of modern metropolises, this caffeinated concoction has stood the test of time, transcending cultural epochs with a promise encapsulated in that first, tantalizing sip. Whether you prefer the unabashed boldness of a simple black brew or dance with hazelnut-tinged concoctions over ice, the symphony of coffee’s myriad preparations has become nothing short of a daily ritual, a steaming testament to the fluidity of our tastes and the rigidity of our schedules. But hold onto your coffee cups, for behind this aromatic veil lies a clandestine empire – over USD $85 billion in the United States alone. As we dive into the depths of coffee through the ages, we will harvest a trove of revelations that are as invigorating as that first morning espresso. Because today we are taking a musical look at coffee - from the trivial to the fascinating to the downright bizarre. With a dollop of musical salutes to coffee along the way. Like this one by Bob Marley – “One Cup of Coffee”… Whether you grind your own beans at home, indulge in the convenience of a pod, like yours instant and delicious, or wander each day over to the local coffee sanctuary for your cup of liquid gold, join us as we traverse the rich, piping hot goodness of coffee’s history and cultural significance. The coffee pot is percolating, and the time has come to embark on a journey through that intoxicating goodness that is our beloved brew. It’s a bean! It’s a seed! No, it’s coffee! Coffee beans are actually seeds from cherry-like fruits. When dried, roasted and ground they’re used to brew coffee. If the seeds aren’t processed, it can be planted and grow into a coffee tree. They are similar in appearance to legumes, and this is how they earned their title as coffee beans. Ella Mae Morse – “40 Cups of Coffee” 9th Century: Beginnings - Though no one knows exactly how or when coffee was discovered, coffee grown worldwide can trace its heritage back to the ninth century to the ancient coffee forests on the Ethiopian plateau. The legend is that a goat herder named Kaldi discovered coffee when he noticed that after eating the berries from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic that they appeared to “dance” and didn’t want to sleep at night. Kaldi reported his findings to the abbot of the local monastery, who made a drink with the berries and found that it kept him alert through the long hours of evening prayer. The abbot shared his discovery with the other monks at the monastery, and knowledge of the energizing berries began to spread. As word moved east and coffee reached the Arabian Peninsula, it began a journey which would bring these beans across the globe. Live long and drink coffee! While caffeine is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about coffee, research has connected moderate coffee consumption (about three to four cups per day) with a lower risk of heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, colon cancer, and type 2 diabetes, as well as a longer life span. Plus, your liver will thank you as both regular and decaf coffee seem to have a protective effect on your liver’s enzyme levels. Manhattan Transfer – “Java Jive” 15th Century: Coffee in the Arab world - Coffee cultivation and trade began on the Arabian Peninsula during the 15th century. By the 16th century coffee had spread to Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey. Coffee was not only enjoyed in homes, but also in the many public coffee houses — known as qahveh khaneh — which began to appear in cities across the Near East. The coffee houses became popular social hubs where people gathered to discuss politics, literature, play chess, and keep current on the news. They became such an important center for the exchange of information that they were often referred to as “Schools of the Wise.” With thousands of pilgrims visiting the holy city of Mecca each year from all over the world, knowledge of this “wine of Arabia” began to spread. Divorce, coffee-style! In ancient Arab culture, women could allegedly find legal ‘grounds’ for divorce if her husband failed to bring her fresh coffee in the morning. Seth MacFarlane – “You’re the Cream in my Coffee” 17th Century: European blend - European travelers to the Near East brought back stories of an unusual dark black beverage. By the 17th century, coffee had made its way to Europe and was becoming popular across the continent. As with anything new, some people reacted to this beverage with suspicion or fear, calling it the “bitter invention of Satan.” The local clergy condemned coffee when it came to Venice in 1615. The controversy was so great that Pope Clement VIII was asked to intervene. He tasted the beverage for himself before making a decision and found the drink so satisfying that he gave it papal approval, declaring, “This devil’s drink is delicious; we should cheat the devil by baptizing it.” As in the Near East, coffee houses quickly became centers of social activity in the major cities of Austria, France, Germany, and Holland. In England “penny universities” sprang up, so called because for the price of a penny one could purchase a cup of coffee and engage in stimulating conversation. Coffee began to replace the common breakfast drink beverages of the time — beer and wine. Those who drank coffee instead of alcohol began the day alert and energized. By the mid-17th century, there were over 300 coffee houses in London alone. Many businesses grew out of these specialized coffee houses. Lloyd's of London, for example, came into existence at the Edward Lloyd's Coffee House. Musical Inspiration! The famous composer, Johann Sebastian Bach created a humorous and satirical work called “Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht” (Be still, stop chattering). Also known as the “Coffee Cantata”, it humorously tells the story of a young woman’s obsession with coffee. Johann Sebastian Bach – “Coffee Cantata” 17th Century: Global Expansion – As demand for the beverage continued to spread, there was fierce competition to cultivate coffee outside of Arabia. The Dutch finally were able to smuggle seedlings out in the latter half of the 17th century. Their attempts to plant them in India failed, but they were successful in getting them to take root in Batavia (current day Jakarta) on the island of Java in what is now Indonesia. The plants thrived and soon the Dutch had a productive and growing trade in coffee. They expanded the cultivation of coffee to other islands across Indonesia including Sumatra and Celebes (current day Sulawesi). Today the Indonesian coffee industry exports over USD $1.5 billion per year in addition to its domestic coffee market which, alone is estimated to be worth more than USD $3 billion. Smelly cat! No, not a segue into an episode of “Friends”, but a reference to the most expensive coffee in the world. “Kopi Luwak” comes from Indonesia and is made from beans digested by the Asian Palm Civet. In other words, it comes from cat poop. And it sells for USD $600 and up per pound! Garbage – “Cup of Coffee” 18th Century: Eve Comes to the Americas – In 1714, the Mayor of Amsterdam presented a gift of a young coffee plant to King Louis XIV of France. A seedling from this plant (we’ll call her “Eve”) was transported across the Atlantic and planted on the island of Martinique. Over the next 50 years, from this one plant sprung more than 18 million coffee trees across the island. And it was this seedling that was the parent of all coffee trees throughout the Caribbean, South, and Central America. The Tea Party’s Over! Though coffee houses had begun appearing in the new colony of America, tea continued to be the favored drink in the New World. That is until 1773 when the colonists revolted against a heavy tax on tea imposed by Great Britain. The revolt, known as the Boston Tea Party, would forever change the American drinking preference to coffee. Indeed, Thomas Jefferson said that “Coffee is the favorite drink of the civilized world.” Sinatra – “The Coffee Song” 20th Century: Change Breweth Over in Germany – The 20th century has seen many developments in coffee. Decaffeinated coffee was first invented in 1903 when a German coffee importer, Ludwig Roselius, turned a batch of ruined coffee beans over to researchers who perfected the process of removing caffeine from the beans without destroying any flavor. He marketed the coffee under the brand name “Sanka” (a contraction of “sans caffeine”). Coffee’s a Crime 1! In 1746 Sweden enacted a law to prohibit the sale of coffee. The government also banned “coffee paraphernalia” – with cops confiscating cups and dishes. King Gustav III even ordered convicted murderers to drink coffee while doctors monitored how long the cups of coffee took to kill them. Which, we’re pretty certain, was great for the convicts but really boring for the doctors. Johnny Cash – “Cup of Coffee” 20th Century: Change Breweth Over in Switzerland – In 1938, Nestle, after being asked by Brazil to help find a solution to their coffee surpluses, invented freeze-dried coffee. Nescafe was developed and first introduced into Switzerland. Instant coffee really took off after 1956 when commercial television was introduced. The commercial breaks were too short a time in which to brew a cup of tea, but time enough for an instant coffee. The entrepreneurs of the coffee world like Nestle and General Foods realized this was their big chance and advertised their instant coffee during the breaks. In retaliation, the tea companies introduced the tea bag in a desperate bid to compete. Coffee’s a Crime 2! Murad IV claimed the Ottoman throne as the Sultan in 1623. He quickly forbade coffee and set up a system of fairly reasonable penalties. The punishment for a first offence was a beating. Anyone caught with coffee a second time was sewn into a leather bag and thrown into the waters of the Bosporus. Don Sanders – “Coffee Song” 20th Century: Change Breweth Over in Italy - The modern-day espresso machine was perfected by Achilles Gaggia in Italy in 1946. He managed to use a higher pressure than steam by using a spring powered lever system. Gaggia brought his revolutionary espresso machine to London in the 1950s and opened a mocha bar in Frith Street in Soho - hence the modern-day coffee bar was born. The first pump driven espresso was produced in 1960 by Faema. Coffee’s a Crime: A compendium! Here’s a few laws relating to coffee that are still in effect today to be aware of… 1. In Alabama, it's illegal to serve coffee after 10:45 PM in a cafeteria. 2. In Bordeaux, France, coffee cups must have a minimum size in order to ensure that the coffee is strong and of high quality. 3. In Vermont, it is illegal to dye coffee. 4. In Louisiana, it is illegal to serve coffee in a drive-thru window after 10 PM. 5. In Greece, it is illegal to make coffee on a stove or hotplate in a public place. 6. In Switzerland, it is illegal to boil coffee in a kettle that has not been cleaned properly. 7. In California, it is illegal to serve coffee in a hospital waiting room between the hours of 6 PM and 6 AM. 8. In Mesquite, Texas, it is illegal to take more than three sips of coffee while standing. Otis Redding – “Cigarettes and Coffee” 20th Century: Change Breweth Over in Seattle - Seattle roastery Starbucks pretty much single-handedly created the gourmet coffee craze back in the 1970s. People at the time didn’t realize that they wanted more than a hot, black liquid to wake them up. They didn’t realize that they wanted higher quality beans. They didn’t realize that they wanted a fresher taste. They didn’t realize that they wanted more variety. But, after opening their first store in 1971, Starbucks’ brilliant marketing team educated the public to realize that they really did want all these things. We are still living in the era that Starbucks created. Many today are obsessed with taste and variety. If your grandpa were to walk into a coffee shop today the variety of options may seem ridiculous. Back in his day, there was only one option: coffee. But will it start your car’s engine? Coffee is consumed in such great quantities, it is the world’s 2nd largest traded commodity, surpassed only by crude oil. And it is the most drunk beverage after water. Abbey Lincoln – “A Lonesome Cup of Coffee” Which do you prefer? There are two main types of coffee – Arabica and Robusta. To impress your friends at the coffee shop, here’s a quick cheat-sheet on the difference between the two. Driftwood Tiger – “Sugar in My Coffee” As this caffeinated symphony comes to a close, we’ve seen that coffee is not just a drink. It’s a means of social interaction and has been for a very long time. In the past, people gathered to share a cup of coffee and exchange information. In North America and a lot of Western European countries, Starbucks and other major chains have dominated the market because they are providing the customers a complete experience around coffee: coffee and friends, coffee and work, coffee and snacks, coffee to go! In Italy the invention of espresso and the espresso machine made it the favorite whole-day beverage of Italians. And in some countries, like Colombia or Brazil, the whole economy is based on coffee. And we didn’t even get into that wonderful Irish brew called “Irish Coffee”. From the spirited dance of goats in ancient Ethiopia to the global empire worth over USD $85 billion in the USA alone, coffee has evolved from a humble discovery to a cultural cornerstone. In our daily pursuit of consciousness, it seems we’ve found a steadfast companion in the rich, aromatic embrace of this beloved brew. Coffee has become more than just a beverage; it’s a daily ritual. A liquid mantra we pour out each morning to welcome the day. I mean after all, what other food or beverage has had so many songs written about them?! What’s your favorite coffee? Do you prefer yours hot or iced? What’s your favorite coffee song? Tell us about it in the comments below. Beabadoobee – “Coffee” #coffee #hotcoffee #icedcoffee #beans #fruit #vegetable #brazil #italy #starbucks #music #bobmarley #johnnycash #arabia #ethiopia #manhattantransfer #java #indonesia #sethmacfarlane #beabadoobee #bach #friends #sanka #nescafe #espresso #seattle #arabica #robusta #anyhigh

Monday, November 13th, was World Kindness Day - better late than never. An international day of recognition created by the World Kindness Movement, a Swiss NGO, to promote kindness throughout the world. World Kindness Day presents the opportunity to reflect upon one of the most important and unifying human principles. It’s a day devoted to the positive potential of both large and small acts of kindness, and to promote and diffuse this crucial quality that brings people of every kind together. And in a world that is seeming to be spinning out of control, where headlines scream of chaos, conflict, and confusion, the concept of kindness often appears as a distant, forgotten virtue. Indeed, there are those who, sadly, would argue that instead of a virtue it’s actually become a vice. The relentless pace of modern life, coupled with the constant bombardment of information, can easily overshadow the simple yet profound act of being kind. In this tumultuous era, it’s easy to forget that kindness isn’t just a utopian ideal; it’s a universal language that transcends borders and cultures. In the midst of the craziness that surrounds us, it becomes increasingly important to shift our focus to the positive, to rediscover the power of compassion, and to explore the ways in which different societies around the globe express and embrace kindness in their own unique and sometimes peculiar ways. The purpose of World Kindness Day as outlined by the World Kindness Movement is “to highlight good deeds in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness which binds us and to encourage kindness to prevail over hatred.” Since its creation more than two decades ago, the day has achieved truly global notice; events associated with the day have attracted participants from every inhabited continent. These have included activities such as concerts, dance mobs, and the distribution of “kindness cards.” Today we’re going to unravel some of the diverse traditions and rituals that celebrate kindness in a sampling of countries. From the elaborate ceremonies of Japan to the warmth of hospitality in the Middle East, kindness manifests itself in myriad forms, challenging the perception that it’s a mere afterthought in the hustle and bustle of daily life. Granted, some of the examples might leave you scratching your head. But, as we navigate through this journey, we’ll discover that, indeed, kindness isn’t a four-letter word – it’s a powerful force that has the capacity to reshape our world, one small act at a time. Indonesia - #1: The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) is a UK based non-profit that annually publishes the World Giving Index which provides insight into the scope and nature of giving around the world. It judges generosity by focusing on three aspects of giving behavior asking, in the past month, have you: - Helped a stranger, or someone you didn’t know who needed help? - Donated money to a charity? - Volunteered your time to an organization? In 2022, for the fifth year in a row, Indonesia was ranked by the CAF as the most generous country in the world. It topped the World Giving Index with a score of 68%. It has the highest rates of donating and volunteering in the world, more than eight in ten people donated money (84%) and more than six in ten (63%) volunteered time. Kindness is the golden chain by which society is bound together. Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe South Africa – Ubuntu: While definitions of ubuntu have varied through the years, the Nguni proverb “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu”, often translated as “a person is a person through other persons”, is most commonly used to describe the concept. In practice, ubuntu is a belief that the common bonds of a group are more important than the divisions within it. Former South African archbishop Desmond Tutu harnessed the concept of ubuntu when leading the nation’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the mid-1990’s. In a comment that has particular poignancy today, Tutu said that “Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can’t be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality – ubuntu – you are known for your generosity.” Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. Franklin D. Roosevelt Japan – Omotenashi: Often described as the world’s most polite country, Japan’s tradition of selfless hospitality is the product of a tradition known as omotenashi. Literally translating to “spirit of service”, this cornerstone of Japanese culture is grounded in the centuries-old ritual of the sado (tea ceremony), which requires a high degree of attentiveness on the host’s behalf to ensure their guests’ every need is fulfilled, without expecting anything in return. The guests, conscious of the host’s efforts, respond by showing an almost reverential gratitude. Both parties thus create an environment of harmony and respect. Omotenashi is a way of life in Japan. Staff in shops and restaurants greet customers with a warm “irasshaimase” (welcome) as you step inside; shinkansen (bullet train) cleaners bow to boarding passengers; and taxi drivers open the doors for passengers automatically. An even greater level of politeness is shown to people outside one’s own group, with foreigners (gaijin – literally “outside people”) typically accorded lavish courtesies. What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness? Jean-Jacques Rousseau Italy – Caffe Sospeso: In Naples, the tradition of a suspended coffee - or caffe sospeso - began in working-class coffee shops over a hundred years ago: a coffee-drinker would pay for two coffees but only consume one. Someone who needed coffee but could not afford it could later inquire if there was a sospeso available and they would be served for free. The giver and receiver would never meet, but coffee - seen as a necessity for life in the city - would be enjoyed both by those who could afford it and those who need it. During the Eurozone crisis a few years back, the idea spread throughout Italy, as well as to other European countries. Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away. Abraham Lincoln Greece – Philoxenia: In Ancient Greece, the proper provision of hospitality was considered a commandment of the gods, specifically Zeus Xenios, the god of foreigners or strangers. Should a weary traveler arrive on one’s doorstep, the host was obliged to welcome them with food and shelter before asking any questions, whether they knew the guest or not. In return, the guest was obliged to show respect to the host via gestures such as staying only as long as necessary. For either party to fail in their obligation meant risking the wrath of the gods. And we all know how long they can hold a grudge for! Taken from the Greek words xenia (stranger) and philo (care for), the concept became known as philoxenia, or love of strangers (and later hospitum, or hospitality). Along with being particularly gracious in their hospitality, this tradition of kindness is kept alive today through small gestures such as offering a friendly smile to a stranger or escorting a lost traveler to their destination rather than simply providing directions. The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention. Kahlil Gibran Philippines – Tulong: The Filipino word for helping those whose needs are immediate and temporary is tulong, and it can take many forms, from sharing food to money to a place to stay. While it began as a way for family members to help one another, it has expanded to include more types of giving over the years and gifts to those outside one’s family. Tulong-aral is help specifically for education, for example. Tulong was especially evident following a wave of natural disasters - typhoons, earthquakes and volcanoes - that left thousands in the island nation in need. When you callously ignore the suffering of others, you lose the capacity to share their happiness, too. Albert Schweitzer New Zealand – Kaitiakitanga: There’s kindness to self, kindness to others, and kindness to the world we live in. New Zealand is a prime example of a country with a culture that recognizes this. Kaitiakitanga, meaning guardianship and protection, is the practice of kaitiaki, the Maori concept of guarding the sky, sea, and land. It is a way of managing the environment, based on the Maori worldview. The local iwi (tribe) appoints a person or group to act as a guardian for a lake or forest. In 2017, the New Zealand government awarded the Whanganui River in the North Island the same rights as human beings, meaning that harming the body of water now has the same penalties as harming a person. Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. Mark Twain Iran – Taarof: Taarof is a Persian word with Arabic roots that defines the country’s complex art of etiquette, in which the true meaning of what is said is not in the words, but somewhere beyond them. It’s a subtle dance of communication, where participants step back and forth over and over, never taking over the stage. In December 2015, someone anonymously set up a “wall of kindness” in Mashhad, painting it in bright colors and installing pegs and hangers. Beside it, a painted message in Farsi read: “If you don’t need it, leave it. If you need it, take it.” The idea quickly spread throughout Iran. Bakeries began leaving out baskets of bread encouraging those who couldn’t pay to help themselves and street musicians put signs by their tip jars inviting passers-by to take the money if they needed it. This movement is rooted in Persian culture and the words of ancient poets such as Rumi, who championed the virtues of kindness. This spirit of kindness is also present in the Persian art of taarof, which puts politeness first in every social interaction. Never doubt that a small groups of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead India – Seva: In India, kindness is deeply rooted in cultural and spiritual traditions. The concept of kindness is often intertwined with the principles of dharma, a Sanskrit term encompassing duty, righteousness, and moral obligations. Acts of kindness, known as “seva” or selfless service, are considered a fundamental part of one’s duty to others and are often seen as a means of spiritual growth. Hospitality is a hallmark of Indian kindness, where guests are treated with utmost respect and warmth. There’s a famous Sanskrit saying “Atithi Devo Bhava,” meaning “The guest is God,” reflects the cultural emphasis on extending kindness to strangers. The interconnectedness of individuals is acknowledged through the concept of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” which translates to “The world is one family.” This philosophy encourages people to extend kindness beyond familial and societal boundaries, fostering a sense of shared humanity. Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness. Seneca After looking into the rich tapestry of kindness across the globe, it becomes abundantly clear that kindness is not a four-letter world. It is a thread woven into the very fabric of humanity. In a time when headlines are dominated by chaos, hatred, and division, the stories from Indonesia to Greece and from Japan to Italy remind us that kindness isn’t only a remedy for the chaos but also a beacon of hope in our shared human experience. A universal language that transcends borders, cultures, and ideologies. Kindness is a force that binds us together, offering a counter-narrative to the discord that dominates our attention. The stories from these countries illuminate the resilience and power of kindness in the face of adversity. It shouldn’t be just an abstract concept but a lived reality. In the end, this brief journey around the world shows that kindness isn’t just a fleeting sentiment or a utopian ideal – it can be a transformative force capable of reshaping our world, one small act at a time. So even though we missed World Kindness Day by a few days, hopefully these stories and quotes will inspire us all to be kinder from time to time. After all, it’s really not that difficult to be kind. For some of us, just not being a dick would be a good start…. #worldkindnessday #happiness #joy #tinyactsbigimpact #spreadsmiles #randomactsofkindness #yestheory #reasonstobecheerful #italy #india #iran #greece #indonesia #southafrica #japan #newzealand #philippines #seneca #marktwain #desmondtutu #kahlilgibran #albertschweitzer #rousseau #abrahamlincoln #goethe #franklinroosevelt #anyhigh

Pack your virtual bags because it’s time to embark on another journey through the world of travel. When we spilled the spicy tea on Thailand a few weeks back we’d said that we were thinking about doing more of these from time to time. Well, the response was overwhelming and there was a request for the next one to be about Laos. So, this week we’re setting our sights on none other than the ‘Land of a Million Elephants’ - Laos. If you think Laos is just like Cambodia or Vietnam – think again! Indeed, Laos is kinda like that quirky cousin you never knew you had till you met them at the family reunion. This hidden gem likes to fly under the radar, but don’t let its modesty fool you. Beneath its humble exterior lies a hidden treasure trove. Unspoiled landscapes, cascading waterfalls, ancient relics, and meandering rivers are only the beginning of what there is to discover. Tucked away in the heart of Southeast Asia, Laos might not be the first destination that comes to mind when planning a holiday, but we definitely think it’s high time to give this landlocked wonderland the recognition it deserves. With its rich culture, breathtaking landscapes, and some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet, Laos is the ultimate “don’t judge a book by its cover” destination. From its diverse ethnic groups and ancient temples to its delicious cuisine and natural wonders, Laos has plenty to offer for both history buffs and adventure travelers. No trip to Laos is ordinary and we think you’ll agree as we uncover just a few of its secrets. So, join us as we embark on a journey through a country that, despite having one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, remains one of the poorest countries in Asia. In a nutshell: With a population of just over 7 million people, the official name of the country is The Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Located along the banks of the Mekong River, Vientiane, at nearly 1 million people, is both the capital and the largest city in the country. Its name means “city of sandalwood” and it’s perhaps one of the most relaxed capital cities in the world. The flag of Laos consists of three horizontal bands – red, blue, and red – with a large white disk in the center. The red bands represent the blood shed for liberation; the blue band represents the Mekong River and prosperity; the white disk symbolizes the full moon against the Mekong River but also represents the country’s bright future. Laos - the ‘Land of a Million Elephants’: About the size of the state of Kansas in the United States, Laos is a place where time seems to run, happily, a little slower than everywhere else. Its name comes from the original name of the Kingdom of Lan Xang, Lan = million and Xang = elephants. The Lan Xang Kingdom existed for more than 350 years, from 1353 to 1707, and was considered one of the largest kingdoms in Southeast Asia. The elephant, sacred to the Lao people, symbolizes strength and abundance. In the Tham Xang Cave, near the town of Vang Vieng, you can even see a stalactite that resembles an elephant. Sadly, due to wars, deforestation, and human cultivation, today there are only about 2,500 wild and captive elephants remaining in the country. Ocean = Zero, Islands = 1,000’s: Although Laos is completely landlocked, in the south of the country, on the Cambodian border, lies one of its most incredible natural attractions, ‘Si Phan Don’, more commonly known as the “4,000 islands”. A laid back, sleepy, charming little gem of a place it, as the name suggests, consists of thousands of tiny, mostly uninhabited islands scattered in the vast Mekong Delta, with the majestic Khone Phapheng falls stretching for nearly 10 kilometers (6 miles) along the river. Most definitely worth the overnight bus trip from Vientiane to Don Det, the main traveler hangout in the area. A hammock, a beer, and a sunset. What else do you need? Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Laos is one of the world’s 5 remaining openly ‘communist’ countries (alongside North Korea, China, Vietnam, and Cuba). A French colony until 1953, the country got caught up in the Vietnam War. In 1975, the communist government overthrew the monarchy, heralding years of isolation, and have been ruling ever since. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Laos began opening up to the outside world. In 1994 the “Friendship bridge” over the Mekong linking Laos and Thailand was opened, in 1997 Laos became a member of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and in 2013 became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). In 2016 Barak Obama made history by becoming the first sitting US President to visit Laos. Short People: In a list of the countries with the shortest people in the world, Laotians rank second, with the average person standing just 155.89cm (5ft, 1.37inches) tall. Laos also has the youngest population in all of Asia, with nearly 70% of the population under 30 years old. Laotians don’t mind being short and making comments about people’s appearance is a common habit among Laotians. So don’t be offended if someone points out that you’re too tall, skinny, or fat. Forbidden but Allowed: Even though it was officially banned in the 1990s, cock fighting is still popular throughout Laos. The value of a prized rooster can reach USD $1,000, and that gives an indication of the amount of money a rooster owner can make when he owns a champion. Gambling is also prohibited, but the Lao people love gambling and will bet on anything. We’re told that if they happen to see two stray dogs fighting, they will start betting and will follow the animals and their fight for as long as it takes to pinpoint a winner. Laos is also home to one of the strangest competitive betting sports – rhinoceros beetle wrestling. Dok Champa – The National Flower: You’re probably more familiar with its other name, the frangipani. This evocative tropical flower, with its sweet romantic fragrance, can be seen everywhere in Laos, most especially decorating vats (temples) and monasteries. The Dok Champa is considered sacred and respected by Laotians and its meaning is “joy in life and sincerity”. A Most Unfortunate “Most”: Laos is the most heavily bombed place in history per capita. For nine years (1964-1973) during the Vietnam war, the United States dropped over 2 million tons of bombs across Laos including 262 million anti-personnel cluster bombs. That’s more than ALL the bombs dropped during World War II combined. And about 30% of them, around 80 million bombs, didn’t explode. This has resulted in a large portion of land still unusable for farming due to unexploded ordinance. And it’s estimated that 20,000+ people have been killed or maimed by the bombs left behind in the 50 years since the bombing stopped. Bomb Boats: Looking down from a bridge spanning the Namkading river, you might see something unusual – silver missile boats. Though the shape of the boats look like missiles, these were not bombs, they were fuel tanks carried by aircraft (Phantom F-4 for example) for refueling. Many of these would be jettisoned after use during the ‘secret war’ carried out by the US in Laos during the Vietnam war. Villagers saw potential in these high scrap metal casings and have been recycling them ever since. The ones that were intact get transformed into boats, and because of their shape are called bomb boats. It’s possible to take a ride in one of them. All you have to do is ask one of the boat owners. Eggs are a Delicacy: No, not those of the poultry kind. We’re talking about one’s a bit smaller in size. Ant eggs are a delicacy in Laos, with ant-egg soup being a favorite late summer dish. Ant eggs are high in protein, however, not all ant eggs are good to eat. The eggs that the Lao people enjoy are the ones from the weaver ants (recognizable as the red ants). They’re called weaver because they construct their nests by weaving the tree leaves together. We tried these as a topping on a couple dishes and found them similar to tiny fish roe in their “popping” when eaten, but with a more acidic tang. We’re told the acidity is caused by the ant’s preferred diet of mango. If you aren’t ready to dive right into the whole ant egg thing, you can always try the fried crickets or bamboo caterpillars. Home to Possibly the Cheapest Alcohol in the World: Lao-Lao is a potent rice-whiskey made in Laos that sells for less than a dollar per liter! Easily found in any corner store, mom-and-pop shop, or market across the country, the spirit is the cheapest in the world. Traditionally drunk neat and in a single gulp, it tastes akin to downing a shot of rubbing alcohol and is a sure-fire bet that you won’t remember the details of the night before. Flavor variations are made by macerating such additives as honey, snakes, and scorpions. Ummm, this is all hearsay of course. But consider yourself warned! A UNESCO World Heritage City: On the Mekong River, about 300 km (185 miles) north of Vientiane, with a population of about 100,000 lies a city unique in the world – Luang Prabang. With its unique and remarkably well preserved wooden colonial architecture, a lively night market, ornate temples, and pristine nature all around, this charming and historic city checks all the boxes for a perfect destination. This ancient, UNESCO-protected city was the royal capital of the Kingdom of Laos until 1975. A site not to be missed is the “morning alms” or “Sai Bat” ceremony. Each morning hundreds of monks living and studying in Luang Prabang walk the streets carrying their alms bowls to accept food offers. Locals and tourists make offerings of sticky rice and fruit. Speaking of Sticky Rice: This is national staple and more sticky rice is consumed in Laos that anywhere else on planet earth. Traditionally eaten with their hands, served sweet, fermented or sour, 155 kilograms (340 pounds) is consumed per Laotian per year. By contrast, the average European or American consumes only around 9 kilograms (19 pounds) of rice per annum. Laotians commonly refer to themselves as “luk khao niaow” which appropriately translates to “children or descendants of sticky rice”. Uncooked sticky rice grains are often thrown into the air after prayers. The Plain of Jars: The plain of jars is an area in Laos that holds one of the most important pre-historic archeological sites in Southeast Asia. Located in the Xiangkhoang Plateau are more than 2,500 stone jars scattered over hundreds of kilometers. They range from one to three metres (3 to 6 feet) in height and weigh up to fourteen tons. They cast an eerie and mystic feel to the place that can be compared to Stonehenge in the UK. Researchers concluded that the jars are dated to as early as 1240 to 660 BC but are still uncertain about their purpose. According to Lao legend, the jars were created by Khun Cheung, the King of giants, who commanded the jars to brew lao-lao rice whiskey after the victory of a very bloody battle. Coffee in a Plastic Bag: Lao coffee is delicious and not as internationally famous as it should be. It is what tea is to Sri Lanka and is actually Laos’ biggest agricultural export. Both Arabica and Robusta coffee varieties are grown, mostly on the Bolaven Plateau in the southwestern part of the country, which has cool temperatures and plenty of rain. The French colonists brought coffee to Laos and today, 15-20,000 tons a year are produced. A traditional Laotian iced coffee from street stalls is served with a large dash of condensed milk in a plastic bag with lots of ice and a straw. To Kip or not to Kip: The kip is the national currency of Laos. If you’re visiting Vientiane from Thailand, there’s no need to exchange your baht to kip, unless you want a keepsake of your travels. While kip are dispensed from ATMs, most shops will take Thai baht as well as US dollars. If you do withdraw kip, be aware that it’s virtually impossible to change it back to any other currency once you have left the country. Finally, we thought we’d offer up a few suggestions of some local Lao dishes that you might want to try when you’re there: · Larb – the national dish of Laos, it can best be described as a meat salad. Made of thinly sliced pork, buffalo, seafood, or chicken it’s seasoned with a combination of lemon juice and fish sauce mixed with local herbs. · Khao Soi – made with a clear broth and thin noodles on top, with minced pork mixed with tomatoes and local spices. · Jaew Bong – a typical Lao sauce in the form of fish paste mixed with dried chilies, garlic, shallots, ginger, and dried buffalo fat. A unique culinary experience, but maybe not for everyone. · Kai Paen – a snack made from freshwater green algae. Loved throughout the country but especially popular in Luang Prabang, where the algae can be easily harvested from local riverbeds. The process includes pounding, boiling, flattening, and drying. Kai Paen is eaten like potato chips and is best when accompanied by the delicious local Lao beer, “Beerlao”. · Sai Oua Kwai – buffalo sausage. Locally raised buffalo is ground and mixed with lemongrass, ginger, and local spices. This brings us to the end of our brief look at Laos, its people, traditions, history, and even its food. This little-known nation is truly a hidden gem of a place to visit. A place that has held onto its traditions in ways some other countries would envy. A place where time just seems to move at a different pace than nearly everywhere else on the planet. Laotians typically value a simple life rather than wealth and money. Eating, drinking, and leisure times are generally most important for Lao people. In fact, travelers often find them to be some of the most laid-back and friendly people they’ve encountered. It’s a common joke that the initials for Laos People’s Democratic Republic – LPDR – actually stand for “Laos People Don’t Rush”. But in today’s fast-paced world, where 60-second news bites have become the modern version of War and Peace, and where the only thing more interesting than the latest technology is the next one that’s on the drawing board, is that slower pace really such a bad thing? Bottom line, you won’t be disappointed by an incredible journey through a country where history is written in the smiles of the people, and where the future holds the promise of continued enchantment. Laos is a hidden treasure waiting to be uncovered, a destination that will leave an indelible mark on your heart. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the magic of the “Land of a Million Elephants” for yourself. Just get used to taking life a lot slower when you’re there! Have you been to Laos? Tell us about it in the comments below. And where would you like to visit next? #laos #southeastasia #asia #travel #history #food #elephants #buffalo #vientiane #obama #landofamillionelephants #thailand #cambodia #vietnam #alcohol #wto #asean #unesco #rice #coffee #randynewman #anyhigh

In today’s business world, where technology generally takes precedence over humanity, human resource professionals have, to a great extent, outsourced the “human” part of their titles to computer programs. When applying for jobs, more often than not, before a person even gets the chance to speak with someone at length about their background, goals, skills, etc., they’re directed to take a test of some sort. These tests are created by personality “experts” to judge a person’s character, knowledge of duties related to a specific job, or, indirectly, to find out if you’re someone who might decide to “go postal” at some point. While the intention behind these pre-employment assessments may be to streamline the hiring process and ensure a good fit between a candidate and a company, the inherent absurdity and dehumanizing nature of these tests cannot be overlooked. At first glance, personality assessments may seem innocuous, merely an additional hoop to jump through on the road to employment. However, upon closer examination, the implications of such tests are far more insidious. They reduce a candidate’s complex personality, experiences, and abilities into a series of checked boxes, numerical scores, or categorized personality types. This oversimplification devalues the uniqueness of each individual and perpetuates the idea that people can be neatly categorized into a few limited archetypes. As a result, these tests often fail to capture the full scope of a person’s capabilities and potential, leading to the exclusion of highly qualified individuals who don’t fit neatly into the predefined molds. One of the main arguments in favor of personality tests is their potential to predict a candidate’s job performance. While they might provide some insights, it’s essential to recognize that a person’s character is a multifaceted and evolving entity. With questions like “Do you prefer sunsets or sunrises”, the “experts” say these tests can predict your job performance. (Because, after all, the future of your career surely hinges on your sunset vs. sunrise preference, right?) But job performance depends on a variety of factors, including motivation, team dynamics, and personal growth, which these tests cannot accurately forecast. We agree that self-discovery can be found in a lot of places: religion, meditation, a good book, a solo trek along the Inca Trail. However, we don’t necessarily think that a pre-job-interview personality assessment might be the most effective or appropriate self-discovery tool. Today, we’re not going to ask you to take any tests to determine if you’re the right person to be reading our weekly blog posts. We are, after all, purveyors of joy and we can think of nothing less joyful than being told this isn’t the right place for you! We did, however, find some interesting tests online that you can take to find out more about yourself and what you might want to consider doing. Indeed, we found that there are almost as many quizzes, tests, and questionnaires online devoted to deciphering the complex wonder that is YOU as there are kitten gifs and ads for Horny Housewives in Your Area. So, without further hyperbole, here’s a few that you might want to give a go. Links are in the pictures. Nationalcareers.service.gov.uk – Back in the summer of 2020 the UK government decided that what people in the arts and hospitality industries needed to bounce back from losing their jobs due to the pandemic wasn’t a safety net for freelancers, but a multiple-choice quiz. It’s actually still up, so if you want to find out what alternative career you should consider launching yourself into, here’s your chance. All you do is read a statement and pick one of five options from 'strongly agree' to 'strongly disagree'. Then the world's your oyster, and by 'your oyster' we mean 'a list of extremely specific jobs which take literally years to retrain for'. Horse groom! Football referee! Cake decorator! Microbrewery owner! You can do anything! Arealme.com - This one's based on the work of psychologist Daniel Goleman, whose 1995 book Emotional Intelligence was a bestseller and brought the term into the mainstream. The idea that how well you empathize with and understand other people, and how well you understand and express your own emotions, is at least as important as your raw brain power was a particularly prescient one. This test sets out hypothetical situations and gives you four ways of reacting to it and based on your answers gives you a score out of 200. There’s actually a whole selection of fun quizzes on the main site about everything from geography to IQ tests to Harry Potter quizzes. Check it out! Politicalcompass.org – "A man who is not a liberal at 16 has no heart. A man who is not a conservative at 60 has no head." So said Benjamin Disraeli / Winston Churchill / your grumpy Granddad (no one can quite decide who). The point is, for most people, political convictions are something that change over time. By testing how much you agree with various statements – some relatively straight forward (‘Possessing marijuana for personal use should not be a criminal offence’), some a little more challenging (‘People with serious inheritable disabilities should not be allowed to reproduce’) – the Political Compass plots where you on a scale of Stalin to Ghandi. Check back every few years to see if your own inevitable lurch to the right is on course. Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator – This is probably the most famous – and infamous – personality test in the world. It uses four indexes – Introverted or Extroverted (I/E), Intuitive or Sensing (N/S), Thinking or Feeling (T/F), and Perceiving or Judging (P/J) – to fit you into one of sixteen possible personalities. This is a well-designed version of the test. Anyhigh is apparently a “Mediator”. No complaints about that one. Openpsychometrics.org – The Rorschach Test is a projective psychological test developed in 1921 to measure thought disorder. Today those inscrutable ink blots are one of the many narrative tools that gets rolled out in detective shows when a writer wants a shortcut into the criminal’s mindset. This one’s a good diversion on a rainy afternoon. Iqtest.com – They claim that their IQ test is “the most scientifically valid free IQ test available online today”. You have 30 minutes to answer 40 questions that involve identifying the correct missing pattern in a sequence. At the end you not only get your score but a series of helpful charts explaining where you come on the line between “mentally deficient” and “gifted”. We love the “free” part. Psychopath.channel4.com – Just how nuts are you? Apparently psychopaths aren’t as 1 in a million as you might imagine they are. In fact, they’re everywhere. You might be one. Our place on the “psychopathic spectrum” was a relief. Lots of cool charts after the test. Greatergood.berkeley.edu – Just how emotionally intelligent are you? Can you tell a grimace from a grin? Reading facial expressions is, according to this test, an accurate measure of whether you’re emotionally in tune with others or utterly oblivious to anyone’s feelings but your own. Surprisingly difficult. Or maybe….. Psycho-tests.com – Do you really know what your sexuality is? This site has a plethora of test options for you to choose from. This sexual orientation test is based on The Storms Sexuality Axis, a model proposed in 1980 by Michael Storms. See where you land on this rich tapestry. We sadly concede that today it might be more apt to refer to “non-human resources”. The “humanity” in human resources having been reduced to a minimum. Perhaps these quirky tests might just add a touch of genuine self-discovery to your own human journey. Explore them, have fun with them, and remember that your complexity cannot be confined to mere checkboxes. In a world obsessed with simplifying the intricacies of human nature, celebrate your uniqueness and embrace the fascinating journey of understanding yourself. While these tests might offer some intriguing and humorous insights, they should never define your worth or potential. Your character, abilities, and aspirations are far too complex to be reduced to a mere score or personality type. We know that, for us at least, when all is said and done, we just want to make damn sure that we didn’t leave any boxes unchecked. #test #personality #quiz #careers #employment #emotions #sex #sexuality #politics #meyersbriggs #rorschach #IQ #psyche #humanresources #hr #human #anyhigh

We all know, from just a quick glance at the daily news, that the world is a terrifying place. And that’s without taking into account all the reputed ghouls and ghosts said to be roaming about. In a world fraught with daily terrors and anxieties, it is easy to overlook the spectral enigmas that dwell in the darker corners of our planet. Beyond the headlines of worldly horrors, a shadowy realm teems with the legends of restless spirits and restless souls. It seems that ethereal beings traverse the Earth, in search of peace and tranquility, or perhaps, just the simple thrill of scaring the living shit out of the living. We’re not going to try and second guess the motives of ghosts, after all. Whose motivations are as elusive as the phantoms themselves. While for many, Halloween embodies nothing more than costumes and the search for candy, for us it presents an opportunity to delve into our collective intrigue with the supernatural. From decaying asylums and forsaken penitentiaries to centuries-old manors, remote mountain taverns, and long-forgotten villages, in today’s blog post we’ll embark on a chilling journey to explore 15 of the most reputedly haunted locales on the planet. As we traverse these spectral landscapes, we’ll unravel tales of phantoms, restless specters, and unexplainable phenomena. So, brace yourselves, for our not-for-the-faint-of-heart expedition begins now. Read on – if you dare. Myrtles Plantation, St. Francisville, Louisiana, USA: St. Francisville is a small town north-west of New Orleans near the Mississippi border. Despite being known as one of the most haunted houses in America, Myrtles Plantation is now a bed & breakfast. And with 10 people being murdered in the mansion itself, it’s no surprise there have been so many reported ghost sightings. Chloe is the most famous. Having had her ear cut off by her lover, she wears a green turban, peering intently at visitors while they’re in bed. More eerie sightings include a child bouncing on the beds, a soldier, a voodoo priestess, and the ghost of the previous owner who was also murdered in the mansion. https://www.themyrtles.com/ The Skirvin Hotel, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA: Since opening in 1911, the luxurious Skirvin established itself as a place nobody ever wanted to leave. Or maybe can’t?? Closed for nearly 20 years, the hotel reopened in 2007 as part of the Hilton chain. There are ghosts of the original owner’s mistress and his illegitimate child, who roam the halls with a stroller. Rumors of the hauntings have been reported by the National Basketball Association The New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls reported doors slamming shut on their own and babies crying inside and outside their rooms. People have even reported being groped in the shower. The hotel proved too creepy for the LA Lakers who checked out early and found accommodations with fewer handsy ghosts and eternally wailing children. https://skirvinhilton.com/ Chateau de Brissac, Maine-et-Loire, France: With seven floors, this is the tallest castle in France which includes 204 rooms, numerous portrait galleries, and a private opera house which seats 200. Built in the 11th century, King Louis XIII stopped by for a couple of nights in 1620. The most active ghost is La Dame Verte (Green Lady), who was apparently the illegitimate child of King Charles VII. In 1477 her husband discovered her having an affair with her huntsman and he murdered them both. She is often seen in the tower room of the chapel, wearing a green dress, with gaping holes where her eyes and nose should be. When not startling guests by her appearance she can be heard moaning around the castle. https://brissac.net/ Monte Cristo Homestead, NSW, Australia: Reputedly Australia’s most haunted house, the late Victorian mansion was built by Christopher Crawley in 1876. Today it’s supposed to be haunted by at least 10 different ghosts, including a young child who was dropped down the stairs, a maid who fell from a balcony, and a stable boy who burned to death. People have reported feeling ice-cold tiny hands slipping into theirs when they climb the stairs. Dismembered whispers, unexplained mists, lights going off and on, and feelings of nausea have all been reported. Some of the ghosts are apparently not fond of birds because chickens and parrots belonging to the current owners have been found strangled to death. https://www.facebook.com/MonteCristoHomestead/services The Queen Mary – Long Beach, California, USA: The Queen Mary Hotel is a former ocean liner, launched in 1937, that sailed primarily between the UK and New York up until the mid-1960’s. During World War II it was converted into a troop carrier and holds the record for carrying the most people on a single voyage. During a wartime crossing the ship was filled with 16,683 souls. Since the 1970’s, the liner has been permanently docked and run as a hotel in Long Beach, California. It’s regarded as one of the most haunted hotels in America and the ship has so many haunted areas that it’s hard to know where to start. Two women drowned in the First Class Swimming Pool in the 1930's and 1960's, and their ghosts have been seen in the pool dressing rooms on numerous occasions. The figure of a woman in white has been seen in the Queen’s Salon. A gentleman in a formal 1930’s suit has been seen in the First Class Suites. Ghosts of two children have been seen and heard running down the hallways. One of the cabins on the ship is no longer available for rent due to so many complaints of paranormal happenings from guests and staff. https://queenmary.com/ Lawang Sewu, Semarang, Indonesia: Located in the city of Semarang, on the Indonesian island of Java, this beautiful Indonesian landmark, built in 1907, was once home to the Dutch East Indies Railway Company. It’s also considered one of the most haunted places in Indonesia. Lawang Sewu is the Javanese word for “thousand doors”. During World War II the Japanese turned the building into a prison and torture house. The ghost of a Dutch woman is often seen walking the halls. In the basement people feel queasy and have claimed to see headless ghouls that are unable to find peace. It’s also claimed that the building is haunted by a Kuntilanak or Pontianak. This is a vampiric creature with long black hair and red eyes that wear white dresses smeared with blood. They are supposed to be able to change themselves into beautiful humans and prey on men and helpless people. Ancient Ram Inn, Gloucestershire, England: Built in 1145, the inn was used by priests who kept slaves and workers there to help build a nearby church. It’s considered to be the most haunted house in the entire British Isles. Situated on two ley lines, places believed to be a conductor for spiritual energy, as well as an ancient Pagan burial ground dating back 5,000 years. It’s widely believed that the redirecting of water on the Ancient Ram property caused a portal for dark energy to open, meaning many ghosts haunt the inn. The ‘Witch’s Room’ is said to be haunted by a woman burnt at the stake in the 1500’s. A druid high priestess has been spotted sitting on a bed, a centurion on horseback has been seen walking through the walls, the agonizing screams of a girl has been heard, and it’s even been reported that a succubus sometimes creeps into the beds of sleeping visitors. https://ancientraminn.co.uk/ Banff Springs Hotel, Alberta, Canada: Now a part of the Fairmont chain of luxury hotels, it was built over 125 years ago in the style of a Scottish baronial castle, this is one of Canada’s great railway hotels and reportedly one of its most haunted buildings. There are terrifying reports of the ghost of a bride who fell down the staircase who broke her neck after panicking when her dress caught fire. She’s often seen in the ballroom dancing, with flames coming from the back of her dress. A family was murdered in room 873. The door to this room has since been bricked up, but the family can still be seen in the hallway outside the room. There’s also reports of a former bellman, Sam Macauley, who worked at the hotel in the 60’s and 70’s who still likes to help guest up to their rooms, dressed in his 60’s uniform. If you try to tip him or make conversation, he disappears. https://www.fairmont.com/banff-springs/ Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan, India: The ruins of a fort city built in the 17th century on the edge of the Sariska Tiger River, Bhangarh Fort consists of fort walls, bazars, havelis, royal palaces, and numerous temples. But don’t be fooled by the beauty of these ruins as they are ranked the most haunted in India. Legend says there was a wizard called Singhia who created a magic potion to make a princess called Ratnavati fall in love with him. She saw through his plan and smashed the potion against a big rock, which then crushed Singhia. Before he died, he cursed the fort which was attacked a few days later by soldiers of the Mughal Empire who killed everyone inside, including the princess. Today the fort is closed to visitors from 6pm to 6am with locals convinced that anyone who spends the night inside will never be seen again. People say the dead residents of Bhangarh still live in the city and claim to hear screams, cries, moaning, and the rattling of bracelets after dark. Strange music is often heard along with whispers, strange smells, and shadowy figures moving amongst the ruins. Hell Fire Club, Montpelier Hill, Ireland: The Hell Fire Club was a hunting lodge, built in 1725 by William Connolly, an Irish parliamentary speaker. Connolly is said to have destroyed the cairn while building the lodge, using one of the grave’s standing stones as decoration for his fireplace. It’s said this angered the spirits and the devil as well. After Conolly’s death, the lodge was sold, and it is said to have become a meeting place for the Irish Hellfire Club. A club that was founded in 1735 by Richard Parsons – a man known for dabbling in black magic. The secrecy surrounding the club led to speculation that its members were Satanists and Devil-worshippers. The president was named ‘The King of Hell’ and dressed like Satan, with horns, wings, and hooves. The members were also said to set a place at each meeting for the Devil, in the hope that he’d attend. Tales of animal sacrifice, black masses, cloven-hoofed men, and murder are linked to the structure. The most popular tale tells of a visit by a satanic creature, in the form of a man, who was only discovered when one of the players dropped a card and on picking it up, noticed the guest had cloven feet. On his discovery, the creature disappeared in a ball of flames. There are stories about a big black cat, the size of a dog, who took on a priest and haunts the lodge. The most regular ghostly visitor is a young lady, believed to have been placed in a barrel, set on fire, and rolled down the hill for fun. Azemmour City, Morocco: Meaning “wild olive tree”, Azemmour was built by the Portuguese in 1513. This picturesque city is said to be frequented by a man-hating jinn, or female spirit, named Aisha Kandisha. It’s said she has 35,000 husbands and that she possesses, rapes, or kills men. So, if you happen to be a man, roaming the streets alone in the dark, be careful, you never know when you might stumble on the succubus. Poveglia Island, Venice, Italy: In the Venice Lagoon between Venice and Lido sits the tiny island of Poveglia. Inhabited since 421, Poveglia’s population began to dwindle and, in the 14th century Venetians infected by the Bubonic plague were sent there to die – and, when they died, they were burned on giant pyres. The site was used as a mental asylum during the 1800’s with stories of ill-treatment and experimental procedures carried out in the buildings. In 1930 a doctor committed suicide by jumping to his death from the bell tower. The island was completely closed in 1975. The ghosts of patients and victims of disease are said to haunt the island and its buildings. Ask a local and they will tell you the island is full of ghosts and cursed with unhealthy spirits. Voices and screams are often heard, and visitors reported seeing dark, fleeting shadows. Many visitors say they begin to feel an oppressive evil feeling as soon as they step on the island. Today the island remains totally abandoned and off bounds to most visitors. Even if you were allowed to go to the island, you’d be hard to find someone willing to take you as many locals won’t step foot on Poveglia for fear of being cursed and fisherman refuse to fish in the area, worried they’ll drag up human remains. Chase Vault, Barbados: The Chase Vault is a burial vault in the cemetery of the Christ Parish Church in Oistins, Christ Church, Barbados known for it “mysterious moving coffins”. The mystery began on August 9th, 1812, when the vault was opened for the interment of wealthy landowner Colonel Thomas Chase. He was placed in the vault inside a metal coffin, so heavy it took several men to carry it. When the vault was opened, it was noticed that the coffin of Chase’s daughter, already in the vault, was found to have moved from its original location. Believing someone from the island had moved it, it was returned to its original spot and the door to the vault was once again sealed. In 1816, two more burials took place inside the Chase Vault and again the coffins, even Colonel Chase’s heavy coffin, had moved. Now people started to worry. The seal of the vault had not been broken and inspection of the vault revealed no alternate entrances or secret passageways. People had noticed that horses freaked out when they were near the vault. A woman, who had visited another grave at the Christ Church Cemetery, claimed she had heard terrifying sounds coming from the Chase Vault as she passed it. In 1819 the Governor of Barbados oversaw another burial in the vault and, once again, the coffins had all been moved around the vault. The Governor affixed his seal to the concrete sealing the entrance so they could tell if someone entered. Sand was also scattered on the floor to capture footprints of whoever was playing tricks on the family. Just a year later the vault was opened once again. The signet ring seal was still intact. No one had opened the vault from the outside. The men clearly had trouble opening the vault’s door. It was as if something heavy was blocking it. When the door was finally opened, they found that it was the Colonel’s coffin that was blocking the door. And once again, all the coffins were scattered around the vault. Having had enough of these "moving coffins", the family and authorities decided to remove the coffins from the vault and bury them separately. The vault has been empty ever since. Dragsholm Slot (Castle), Denmark: Built by the Bishop of Roskilde around 1215, it resembled a fort more than a castle. It’s the oldest castle in Denmark and reportedly the most haunted castle in all of Europe. The castle is thought to be home to at least 100 ghosts. Psychics and mediums have visited Dragsholm and repeatedly identified four active spirits. The Lingering Bishop whose moaning and wailing has been heard coming from the hallways on the second floor. The Unearthly Earl of Bothwell is a very well-to-do ghost. The third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, he was imprisoned at Dragsholm Slot for murder, chained to a pillar and left to die. His ghost appears in the courtyard, sometimes riding a horse-drawn carriage. The White Lady, Celina Bovles, the daughter of a nobleman. Betrothed to a man from another noble family, she fell in love and become pregnant by a commoner. Her father, furious at the loss of prestige, had her chained in the basement and a wall built around her. This story appears to have been corroborated in the 1930s. When work was being done to modernize the plumbing of the castle, a skeleton was discovered behind a wall in the basement. Today, there are reports of the ghost of a lady in white walking the castle and crying for her lover. Occasionally she even wails in agony because she has not found him. The Gray Lady is supposed to have been a beautiful woman who worked at the castle who died of an infected tooth. Her spirit walks the castle halls looking to do good deeds for those who work and stay in the castle. She’s a happy ghost. https://www.dragsholm-slot.dk/dragsholm-slot/en/ The White House, Washington DC, USA: Perhaps the world’s most famous residence, the home and office of the President of the United States. It’s been the official residence of every President since 1800 when John Adams first moved in. With all the history and historical figures that have graced its rooms, it’s no wonder that the White House has a tale or two of hauntings. Past presidents, their families, and foreign dignitaries have all attested to the paranormal goings-on at the White House. Winston Churchill, then Britain’s Prime Minister, was staying as a guest in the Lincoln Bedroom. He had just finished bathing and walked back into the suite, where he saw Lincoln standing by the fireplace. Churchill refused to sleep in that bedroom again after that. Other people that have said they have seen the ghost of Abraham Lincoln include President’s Teddy Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, and Dwight Eisenhower; First Ladies Jacqueline Kennedy and Ladybird Johnson; and presidential children Susan Ford and Maureen Reagan, who witnessed Lincoln standing by the same fireplace where Churchill had once seen him. Also, Queen Wilhemina of the Netherlands was staying in the Rose Room when she heard a knock on the door in the middle of the night. When she answered, she was confronted by the ghost of Abraham Lincoln, standing in the doorway. President Andrew Jackson is believed to haunt the Rose Room, with numerous White House employees reportedly hearing his hearty laughter or him in a fit of rage, swearing violently. The ghost of Abigail Adams (wife of John Adams) has been seen floating through the East Room. This is the room where she used to hang her laundry. Various other specters have also been seen, including past employees, Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Tyler, First Lady Dolly Madison. Sudden cold spots, disembodied footsteps, voices, knocks, and screams have also been reported at the seemingly very haunted 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. We hope you’ve enjoyed our foray into the world of the world beyond. As we delved into these spine-tingling tales from some of the world’s most haunted places, we couldn’t help but reflect on the intriguing relationship between the supernatural and the natural. In a world rife with headlines about worldly horrors, it’s easy to forget the phantoms that quietly inhabit the shadows. From the ghostly guests of Myrtles Plantation to the spectral bellman of the Banff Springs Hotel, from the Green Lady of Chateau de Brissac to the ethereal shipmates aboard the Queen Mary, our exploration revealed a wide range of spirits, each with its own story to tell. Yet, within these otherworldly encounters lies a peculiar sense of humor that transcends life and death. The White House, with its revolving door of both Presidents and presidential apparitions, showcases how even in the afterlife, history and humor intertwine. After all, Abraham Lincoln, it seems, has turned into the ultimate party crasher. In a world both known and unknown, these tales serve as a reminder that the supernatural, like the mysteries of our universe, can confound, surprise, and amuse. As our Halloween inspired expedition into the realm of the paranormal comes to a close, we bid you farewell with a thought: as we navigate the ever-evolving tapestry of our existence, we can find some solace in the fact that even in the world beyond our own, a peculiar sense of humor endures. So, whether you’re a daring ghost hunter or a casual enthusiast, embrace the unknown and the uncanny – for it’s in those hidden dark corners that the inexplicable finds its place in our understanding of the world. Happy hauntings, and remember, if you happen to run into something that goes bump in the night, even ghosts enjoy a good laugh from time to time. For those who want to do their own ghost hunting, we’ve provided links to websites of the hotels and inns above. Also, here’s a couple of links to some of AirBnB’s most haunted stay opportunities: https://www.timeout.com/uk/travel/best-haunted-airbnbs-uk (Most haunted AirBnB’s in the UK.) https://www.timeout.com/usa/travel/haunted-airbnbs-in-usa )Most haunted AirBnB’s in the USA) Did we miss one of your favorite terrifying places? Let us know in the comments below. #ghosts #specters #halloween #scary #costumes #candy #trickortreat #louisiana #usa #oklahoma #hilton #fairmont #nba #lakers #bulls #knicks #newyork #france #australia #montecristo #queenmary #longbeach #california #indonesia #java #vampire #england #druid #canada #banff #india #rajasthan #ireland #hell #devil #morocco #jinn #italy #venice #barbados #coffin #denmark #thewhitehouse #potus #lincoln #abrahamlincoln #winstonchurchill #teddyroosevelt #kennedy #reagan #horrors #anyhigh

We were recently in Thailand, “The Land Of Smiles”. Thailand is a nation in the middle of Southeast Asia - bordered by Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia - where the vibrant blend of culture, tradition, and modernity creates a tapestry of experiences unlike any other. This Southeast Asian gem has captivated travelers for generations with its intoxicating mix of ancient temples, bustling metropolises, tranquil canals, and buzzing night markets, all under the watchful gaze of friendly locals who’ve earned the country its nickname. Thailand is a country of many faces, from the enchanting aroma of street food stalls to the surreal beauty of its many islands. This nation effortlessly blends tradition and modernity, where you can wander from historic temples to cutting-edge shopping districts within minutes. And, of course, Thai hospitality is renowned worldwide. It’s a place where one quickly discovers that the “Land of Smiles” isn’t just a catchphrase – it’s a way of life. So, this week we thought we’d embark on a journey to uncover some fascinating facts and figures that underscore the unique charm of this amazing country. From its bustling weed stores to its enchanting culture, from its welcoming people to its incredible cuisine Thailand is a place that leaves you wanting more and looking forward to the next visit. In a nutshell: Thailand is made up of 1,430 islands (Phuket being the largest), 35,000 temples, and 67 million people. In 2023, Thailand is projected to receive 25-30 million international tourists, injecting 1.5 trillion baht (US$43.5 billion) into the economy. Thailand used to be called Siam: The name Siam came from a Sanskrit word, Syama, which meant “dark” or “brown” and, while it had been the name of the kingdom for nearly 800 years, there doesn’t seem to be any consensus on why Thailand was ever called Siam in the first place. The Thai’s themselves always referred to their country as “Meuang Thai”, but to outsiders the country had long been known as Siam. Following a bloodless revolution in 1932, Siam became a constitutional monarchy and, on June 23, 1939, changed its name to Thailand. The reason given was that it was suitable to call the nation by a name that represented the country’s majority and was popular with the people. Stamps commemorating King Rama VI (left) and King Rama IX (right). Bangkok isn’t really Bangkok: Only foreigners call Thailand’s capital city Bangkok. In Thai, its real name is Krung Thep which roughly translates to “City of Angels”. But even that’s a shortened version of the city’s full name. The official name of Bangkok is certified as the longest place name in the world in the Guinness book of Records. Made up of Pali and Sanskrit root words, Bangkok’s ceremonial name is - ‘Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit.’ Phew! The name means, ‘City of angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of the nine gems, seat of the king, city of royal palaces, home of gods incarnate, erected by Visvakarman at Indra‘s behest.’ Buddhism: Although Thailand doesn’t have an official religion, around 95% of the population is Buddhist, the majority of those being Theravada Buddhists. And, as the ‘guardian of the faith’, the Thai King must always be a Buddhist. Nearly all men become monks at some point before they turn 20 years. The typical duration as a monk in Thailand is 3 months. Not all Buddhists are vegetarians. According to Theravada, the Buddha allowed monks to eat pork, chicken, and fish if the monk knew that the animal was not killed on their behalf. A lot to learn: Thailand has one of the most complex writing systems in the world. There are 72 letters in the Thai alphabet, including 44 consonants and 28 vowels! Thai is a tonal language with five tones, making it very difficult to learn. To western ears, a lot of tones sound the same but getting an inflection wrong can make all the difference. For example, ‘suai’ with a rising tone means lovely or pretty, but ‘suai’ with a mid-tone means unlucky. For a non-Thai, it’s easy to confuse these similar sounds. But doing so could obviously land you in trouble! A Colorful Place: In Thai culture, every day of the week has its own color. While the practice of wearing the color of the day is not as common as it used to be, it can still be seen in some situations. However, almost all Thai people are aware of the day of the week they were born and their corresponding "lucky" color. Speaking of Colors: There are more than 1,500 species of orchids growing wild in Thailand’s forests and jungles. Even though Colombia, with more than 4000 different species, has the largest number of Orchids in the world, Thailand is the world’s largest orchid exporter. More than half of all orchids, the Thai national flower, in the world are coming from Thailand. Land of the Free: Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that was never colonized under a European power. The name of Thailand in the Thai language is ‘Prathet Thai’, which directly translates to ‘Land of the Free’. Considering that only very few countries in the world managed to escape European rule, this in itself is a huge accomplishment. Red Lights or Green: Thailand has, for many years, had a global reputation as an adult playground. But surprisingly, prostitution is actually illegal in Thailand. The country adopted the Suppression of Prostitution Act in 1960, followed by the 1996 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, which outlawed almost all the activities associated with sex work and income earned from it. Apparently word never trickled down to the main red-light “prostitution zones” of Bangkok, Pattaya, and Patong Beach because, from what we can tell, they’re still going strong. Largest Solid Gold Buddha: One of the most impressive sights in Thailand has to be the Phra Phuttha Maha Suwana Patimakon, also known as the Golden Buddha. A highly revered Buddhist artifact and national symbol of Thailand, the solid-gold statue of a seated Buddha is 15 feet tall and weighs over 5.5 tons. Although looters stole from temples throughout the centuries, this statue was covered in stucco and was saved as a result. Its value is estimated at over USD$250 million. Greetings: In both formal and informal situations, Thai people greet each other with the words ‘sawadee’ followed by ‘kah’ for females and ‘kraap’ for males. Shaking hands is not common in Thailand. The Thai greeting, referred to as the ‘wai’, consists of a slight bow, with the palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion. The higher you raise your hands during the ‘wai’ greeting, the more polite, representing the status of the person you greet. For example, hands should be raised all the way to the bridge of the nose when greeting the elderly, but only to your chest for a peer. The Sacred & the Profane: Thai culture considers the head as the most important part of the body. As such, you should never touch someone else’s head, not even a child’s. At the other end of the body, Thais consider feet to be lowly. Feet are seen as symbols of our attachment to the earth, linking our human bodies to suffering and struggle. For this reason, you should never put your feet up on a table or cross your legs so that the soles of your feet are showing to someone else. And using your feet to point at another person or a temple statue is considered the height of rudeness. And using your index finger to point at another person is also unacceptable. Thais also consider the beckoning motion used in the West as impolite. Rather than facing your palm up and moving your fingers to beckon, you should tell people to come with your palm facing down. Mai Pen Rai: In Thai culture, “saving face” is an important concept that refers to the avoidance of embarrassing or compromising situations that could cause someone to lose face or social standing. “Never mind”, “it’s nothing”, “no problem”, “it’s not a problem” are all common translations for the famous Thai phrase “mai pen rai”. Besides being one of the most common phrases used in Thailand, “mai pen rai” is one of the most versatile phrases in the Thai language. It is a phrase which can be employed in various situations without causing offence, making it a very good language and social tool for first time visitors and tourists in Thailand. By politely saying “mai pen rai khap” (for male speaker), or “mai pen rai kha” (for female speaker) you may decline an offer, reply to an apology, state that something is not a problem, you can even say “mai pen rai” to calm or diffuse a heated situation. Laws: Most Thai laws are similar to standard laws in other countries. However, there were a couple wardrobe related that caught our eye. You can’t go commando in Thailand because it’s illegal to leave your house without underwear on. It’s also illegal to drive shirtless in Thailand. Big, Small & Otherwise: Not only is Thailand home to one-tenth of the species of animals in the world but it is also home to the smallest mammal, biggest fish and the largest living lizard on earth. The smallest mammal, the bumblebee bat or Kitti’s hog-nosed bat weighs just two grams and can be found living happily in the Land of Smiles. Down below, the seas around Thailand there are also home to many whale sharks which carry the record of being the biggest fish in the world growing up to 39 feet long. If both those things weren’t enough, Thailand is also the playground of the biggest living lizard in the world – the monitor lizard, which can grow up to 7 feet. And snake lovers will be thrilled to know that you can find both the largest snake (the reticulated python) and the largest venomous snake (King Cobra) in the world here! While whistling might be seen as something you do when you’re bored or something to entertain yourself, in Thailand it’s quite different, especially at night. Thai people believe that by whistling at night, you are calling the evil spirits and it will bring trouble and bad luck to you. So, don’t do it! Food & Drink: Thai dishes always hit all the major flavor notes and is known for its balance of salty, sweet, spicy, and sour flavors. The combination of these flavors is what gives Thai cuisine its unique and distinctive taste. And the local F&B scene is recognized as some of the best as well. There are 35 1 & 2 Michelin starred restaurants in Thailand and two of the Worlds 50 Best Bars are in Bangkok including one crowned the Best Bar in Asia. A couple thoughts on F&B in Thailand: Don't dish up one of each type of food on your plate at the beginning of a meal in Thailand as this is considered to be rude. It is more polite to take a helping of rice along with one to two dishes, then try a few more as the meal progresses should you still be hungry. To let someone know you enjoyed a meal, it is polite to leave a small bite or two on your plate. This signifies it was tasty and that you are full, as a clean plate implies there wasn't enough to eat. Meat in Thai dishes is traditionally served in bite-size pieces in order to abide by the Buddhist custom that no whole animal be cooked and served. Deep-fried cockroaches and other insects are popular snacks. At fairs and markets all over the country, you’ll see Thais tucking into a bag of fried insects in the same way one might dig into a bag of potato chips. The sea-salt briny flavor of swiftlet nests is made from the strands of saliva from the male cave-dwelling swiftlet bird. These nests are collected from Thai caves and are one of the most coveted and sought-after delicacies on the planet. And, at USD$900 per pound, one of the most expensive. You can buy the world’s smelliest and most expensive fruit in Thailand. The melon-sized Durian fruit sells for around USD$100 a fruit, but beware as it’s banned in many places due to its putrid odor. Once you get past the odor, the taste is like a sweet custard. But be warned if you do, in the words of chef Anthony Bourdain, “Your breath will smell as if you’d been French-kissing your dead grandmother.” Thailand is the biggest exporter of rice by value. India exports more in volume but Thailand exports jasmine rice which is more expensive. The Grand Palace: One of the most frequented tourist attractions in the world with an estimated eight million visitors each year. Scorpion Queen: 39-year-old Kanchana Ketkaew is the only Thai woman to hold two Guinness World Records. One for living with scorpions in a glass box for 33 days and the other for the longest time holding one of the arachnids in her mouth for a terrifying three-minutes and 28 seconds. Siamese Twins: The first known cojoined twins, Chang and Eng Bunker, were born in May 1811, in a province near Bangkok in the then Kingdom of Siam. The twins married two different women, who were also sisters, and each couple were parents to more than ten children each. Initially they lived together and shared a bed big enough for four but after a number of years the two sisters began quarrelling and so two separate households were established. The Siamese brothers then ended up spending three consecutive nights at each home until their death in 1874. Red Bull: Famous throughout the world, the popular energy drink, Red Bull was born in Thailand. It was based on Krating Daeng, a sweet, uncarbonated energy drink that was sold throughout the country and across Asia from 1976 by Chaleo Yoovidhy. In 1987, an Austrian entrepreneur named Dietrich Mateschitz partnered with Chaleo and modified the ingredients to better suit Western tastes and thus, Red Bull was born. The original can still be bought in small glass bottles in 7-11’s in Thailand. A Wonderland of Weed: As though Thailand didn’t have enough to offer the visitor from abroad, as of June of 2022 cannabis was decriminalized. The website www.thailandweed.com will tell you everything and more that you need to know, where to find it, how to use it. as you wander the streets of Bangkok and Phuket, dispensaries are more ubiquitous than Starbucks or 7-11’s. There’s even an entire marijuana-themed shopping mall, Plantopia, its shops half-hidden behind the haze of smoke created by customers trying out the product. When you consider that, up until last June you could be jailed for five years just for possessing marijuana, and up to 15 years for producing it, the pace of change has been truly breathtaking (pun intended…). Now we’ve come to an end of our very brief look at some of the fascinating facts and figures about this captivating nation. We’ve discovered some of its rich cultural heritage, taken a peek at its diverse wildlife, and marveled at its delicious cuisine. From the bustling streets of Bangkok to local food tours, from the serene beauty of its islands to incredible snorkeling and diving spots, Thailand continues to leave visitors wanting more and eagerly anticipating their next visit. Embracing change, the country’s recent decriminalization of cannabis has introduced a new facet to its cultural landscape, showcasing a forward-thinking approach while preserving its traditional values. Thailand’s status as the “Land of Smiles” endures, a testament to the warmth and hospitality that continue to define this remarkable nation. We hope you’ve enjoyed this mini travelogue. We’re thinking of doing others from time to time about different destinations around the world. Have you visited Thailand? What countries would you like us to visit via blog post in the future? Let us know in the comments below. #thailand #smiles #landofsmiles #islands #beaches #food #drink #bars #restaurants #cuisine #temples #weed #marijuana #redbull #siam #culture #buddha #buddhism #bangkok #phuket #anyhigh

So, we were sitting in a cozy, dimly lit bar recently, contemplating life’s most profound questions while sipping on a meticulously crafted whiskey on the rocks. The clinking of the ice cubes in harmony with the smooth jazz melodies that were wafting through the air created a symphony of indulgence. In that moment of liquid contemplation, a curious but seemingly obvious thought snuck into our mind – “water”. It got us to wondering, what if water, that humble H20, were the star of the show instead? That’s right, water – that every day, unassuming, yet utterly essential molecule. When you think about it, water, the unsung hero of hydration and aquatic adventures, deserves a standing ovation for its liquid antics. We figured that now would be as good a time as any to pay homage to this under-lauded champion, the substance that quenches our thirst, fills our oceans, and makes life on Earth possible. So, let’s raise our imaginary glasses, or perhaps real ones filled with water, and dive headfirst into today’s blog post that will explore some of the stranger and crazier facts and statistics about the wonderful world of water – minus the hangover. After all, who needs whiskey when you can have a glass of good old dihydrogen monoxide - preferably without the rocks - to toast to the elixir of life itself? The accepted average volume of a drop of water is exactly 0.05ml (20 drops per milliliter). And it turns out that there are over 1.5 sextillion molecules in a drop of water and more than 5 sextillion atoms per droplet. What’s a sextillion you ask? No, it’s not an 18th century French sex dance craze. It’s a cardinal number represented by 1 followed by 21 zeros. In other words, it’s a lot! A newborn baby is 78% water. Adults are 55-60% water. Water is a big part of the blood that brings nutrients to all our cells. We use it to get rid of wastes. It helps us regulate our body temperature. It acts as a shock absorber for our brain and spinal cord. Our brains are 75% water; our lungs are nearly 90% water; and our blood is about 82% water. Most of the water we consume every day comes from eating food. For example, 95% of a tomato is water, apples have 85% water content, spinach 91%, and potato’s 80%. You’ve undoubtedly asked yourself, time and again, what do jellyfish and cucumbers have in common? They’re both 95% water. So, this jellyfish and cucumber salad could, theoretically, almost be consumed from a glass. In a gallon of average ocean water, there is about 1 cup of salt. But it varies. The Atlantic Ocean is saltier than the Pacific Ocean, for instance. Most of the salt in the ocean is the same kind of salt we put on our food: sodium chloride. The saltiest water in the world is found in Antarctica in a small lake named Don Juan Pond. It’s filled with dense, syrupy brine rich in calcium chloride that can remain liquid to minus 50 degrees Celsius (-58 degrees F) far below the freezing point of water. And there can be a lot going on in a single drop of ocean water. It will most likely have millions (yes, millions!) of bacteria and viruses. And it could also have fish eggs, baby crabs, plankton, or even small worms. And speaking of active drops of water, over eight million people live in New York City, and you have to assume most of them are making use of the city’s water supply each and every day. There’s a good chance that not all of them are aware their water has tiny crustaceans living in it. The little critters are a kind of shrimp known as copepods and they are microscopic. People have been drinking them for years with no knowledge of that fact. Someone on Reddit posted a photo of one in 2010 and caused a minor uproar, but that wasn’t the first time. In 2004 the same thing happened with people fearful that the little crustaceans would not be kosher for the city’s Orthodox Jewish population. The city was not willing to filter them out because of the benefits of keeping them and recommended those who didn’t want them to filter the water on their own. The crustaceans aren’t there for no reason though; the city keeps them there on purpose. It’s their job to eat the larvae of mosquitoes. We all know about the concept of water evaporating, condensing, precipitating and so on. But what about the life cycle of one single, specific molecule of water? How does that water’s life play out? A drop of water can spend about 9 days in the atmosphere before it comes back down to earth again. But once back on earth it may not move again for a long time. That one specific drop could end up in the ocean and remain there for another 3,000 years before it evaporates again! And while that seems like a long time, it’s the blink of an eye compared to water that ends up in a place like the Antarctic ice shelf. If water freezes there, it’s going to stay put for about 900,000 years. And speaking of old, a 2.6-billion-year-old pocket of water was discovered in a mine, 2 miles below the earth’s surface near the city of Timmins in Ontario, Canada. This is the most ancient pocket of water known by far, older even than the dawn of multicellular life. The earth is a closed system that rarely loses or gains extra matter. Essentially, this means that the same water that existed on earth millions of years ago is still present today. This means that we’re drinking the very same water that the dinosaurs drank – and expelled – millions of times over millions of years ago. Any time you look up and see a cloud you’re seeing water in the sky. But how much is up there? There are actual atmospheric rivers that move almost unbelievable quantities of water across the planet, all in the skies above. The name atmospheric river refers to the paths of moisture that can take water from tropical regions towards either of the poles and greatly affect weather patterns along the way. The water evaporates at the equator and then it circulates away in the atmosphere, almost dragging more water behind it in a narrow but high-volume band. While we can look at rivers like the Amazon and the Mississippi and think they are high volume, they have nothing on atmospheric rivers which can carry seven to 15 times as much water as the average daily discharge of the Mississippi. Some have been shown to move up to 6,870,000,000,000 gallons of water per day. Here's a few quick factoids about water that you can throw around, like ice cubes, at your next cocktail party… · Frozen water is 9% lighter than liquid water, which explains why ice floats. · Less than 1% of the water supply on earth can be used as drinking water. · It takes 20 gallons of water to create one pint of beer. · 300 tons of water are required to manufacture 1 ton of steel. · A trillion tons of water is evaporated every day by the sun. · It takes seven and a half years for the average American household to use the same amount of water that flows over Niagara Falls in one second (750,000 gallons). Finally, did you know that water reacts to words and music? Well, experiments done by Japanese scientist and healer, Masaru Emoto, discovered how sounds affect water’s structure. Water can absorb and store sound effects. Using a powerful electron microscope, Emoto showed how much frozen water’s structure depends on the sounds absorbed. These experiments showed that water listens to music, as it reproduces the emotional structure of words and the shape and emotional structure of images. And it appears everyone and everything is a critic, because Emoto claims that while positive words and classical music directed at water produce beautiful crystals with clear snowflake-like patterns, negative words and music such as heavy metal, death core, black metal, etc. create water spoils and produce ugly, chaotic, incomplete, and fragmentary crystals. And now we find ourselves back to the beginning of our journey with a whiskey on the rocks in hand, returning to the simple yet profound essence of water. A liquid that often goes unnoticed, but it’s the very elixir that sustains us. It’s the quiet hero that quenches our thirst, fills our oceans, makes life on Earth possible, and perhaps most importantly of all, by adding just a splash to a glass of whiskey it boosts the concentration of flavour compounds at the surface of the drink, bringing more of those rich aromatics to the nose as we sip. Yes, the wonderful world of water is boundless. So, as we conclude our exploration of this precious liquid, let’s raise a glass once more, not just in appreciation of a whiskey on the rocks but also in celebration of the remarkable and ever-fascinating wonderful world of water. #water #oceans #rain #drink #drinkingwater #whiskey #ontherocks #dinosaur #jazz #bar #earth #france #newyork #canada #clouds #rivers #amazon #mississippi #antarctica #niagarafalls #japan #music #anyhigh

Phrase: “Peel me a grape.” Definition: A request to be pampered or to have one’s whims indulged. A sarcastic retort after a trivial request. Some of you may have noticed that there was no blog post last week. We were out of action because of a pretty intense flu that’s going around all over the place. Having someone around to encourage you to get better is, we believe, 50% of the cure to getting better. Still recuperating this week, but didn’t want to miss another one, so here we are. When you’re feeling lousy you really don’t feel like doing much of anything except laying around, maybe munching on some non-aggressive snacks, listening to music or flipping the channels mindlessly. This has pretty much been our unintended modus operandi for the past ten days. And, while absent-mindedly pondering this weeks’ post, we got to thinking about fruit. Which got us to thinking about grapes. Which got us to thinking about music. Which, as any natural progression would, led us to thinking about peeling grapes. The phrase “Peel Me A Grape” made its first recorded appearance in the 1933 film I’m no Angel, delivered by the iconic Mae West as she sauntered across her bedroom, one hand on the hip of her tightly fitted black gown, commanding, "Beulah, peel me a grape." Following the grape, musically speaking, we fast forward nearly 30 years to 1962. Written by American jazz pianist, songwriter, and vocalist, Dave Frishberg, Peel Me A Grape was his first published tune. Frishberg’s sardonic wit as a lyricist – his songs were hyper-literate and written for adults - and melodic cleverness as a composer placed him in the top echelon of his craft. His niche in the songwriting world of the cabaret smart set, when such a breed still existed, was lofty. Lyrics Peel me a grape, crush me some ice Skin me a peach, save the fuzz for my pillow Talk to me nice, talk to me nice You’ve got to wine me and dine me Don’t try to fool me, bejewel me Either amuse me or lose me I’m getting hungry, peel me a grape Pop me a cork, french me a fry Crack me a nut, bring a bowl full of bonbons Chill me some wine, keep standin’ by Just entertain me, champagne me Show me you love me, kid glove me Best way to cheer me, cashmere me I’m getting hungry, peel me a grape Here’s how to be an agreeable chap Love me and leave me in luxury’s lap Hop when I holler, skip when I snap When I say “Do it”, jump to it Send out for scotch, boil me a crab Cut me a rose, make my tea with the petals Just hang around to, pick up the tab Never out think me, just mink me Polar bear rug me, don’t bug me New Thunderbird me, you heard me I’m getting hungry, peel me a grape Slowly Here’s how to be an agreeable chap Love me and leave me in luxury’s lap Hop when I holler, skip when I snap When I say “Do it”, jump to it Send out for scotch, boil me a crab Cut me a rose, make my tea with the petals Just hang around, pick up the tab Never out think me, just mink me Polar bear rug me, don’t bug me New Thunderbird me, you heard me I’m getting hungry, peel me a grape The first cover of the song, released in August 1962, was by Anita O’Day and Cal Tjader: Peel Me A Grape has been covered 96 times between 1962 and 2022 by artists from a variety of genres. But, in our opinion, the definitive version was recorded in 1967 by jazz singer and pianist, Blossom Dearie. A classical piano prodigy, Dearie grew up in the Catskill mountains of New York. After a decade of playing piano and entertaining around New York with the city’s bebop jazz musicians she moved to Paris in 1952 where she came into her own. She had many friends and admirers in the music world including John Lennon. The two wrote songs for each other. Another of her admirers, legendary jazz trumpeter, Miles Davis once famously described her as, "the only white woman who had soul." Anyway, for us, her light and girlish voice seems to be a perfect juxtaposition to the somewhat adult themes of Peel Me A Grape: In times of recovery, whether from an illness or the rigors of daily life, we all yearn for a little extra care and attention. “Peel Me A Grape” serves as a whimsical reminder (or plea?) of our desire to be pampered during such moments. As we navigate life’s challenges, let’s not forget to occasionally indulge in a bit of self-care or reach out to loved ones for some well-deserved TLC. “Somebody, peel me a grape”! #grapes #peelmeagrape #maewest #imnoangel #davefrishberg #blossomdearie #anitaoday #caltjader #milesdavis #jazz #music #verve #cabaret #scotch #cashmere #luxury #crab #mink #rose #petals #polarbear #anyhigh

Back in the day, before home computers and cable tv, Saturday mornings used to be sacred times. The weekend was here, which meant no school for the next two days. Generations of kids would eagerly get out of bed and fueled by bowls of sugary cereal, settle in front of the television for hours to watch cartoons on one of the major broadcast networks. So whatever happened to Saturday morning cartoons? The first Saturday morning cartoons shown on network channels in the 1950s and ‘60s were largely culled from a stockpile of animated shorts originally screened in movie theaters before the main feature film. Warner Brothers and MGM studios produced thousands of these classic cartoons of the '30s and '40s, like Looney Tunes, which featured such popular characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and the self-destructive comedy duo Tom and Jerry. Other cartoons were commissioned from independent animation companies, which resulted in such favorite characters as Casper the Friendly Ghost, Magilla Gorilla, and Huckleberry Hound. By the late 1960s, TV networks found the golden recipe for Saturday morning cartoon success: advertising aimed squarely at children. Instead of airing just one or two cartoons, or reusing old, animated films, they could produce four hour blocks of various cartoons. The modern era of Saturday morning cartoons had dawned, and advertisers couldn’t have been happier. Networks could also offer something to advertisers that had never been available before: an opportunity to inundate masses of children for long periods of time with products made exclusively for them. For nearly 30 years, Saturday morning cartoons represented a gold mine for the networks. Advertisers stepped up their merchandising efforts by working with networks to produce shows based on products themselves. Shows like He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became, in effect, 20-minute commercials for toys. At one point, Saturday morning cartoons were promoted with just as much fanfare as prime-time shows. Special preview shows, hosted by popular actors or musicians, would regularly appear on a Friday night just before the premiere of the new cartoon season. Several contributing factors led to the demise of the Saturday morning cartoon experience, including some self-inflicted wounds. One major reason broadcast networks stopped showing certain studio-produced cartoons was content. These cartoons were originally geared towards a different audience with a different sense of humor. Parents became concerned that the violent antics of Tom and Jerry or the anti-social behavior of Bugs Bunny would have a negative impact on young and impressionable minds. Network executives took these concerns seriously in the 70s, and many of the most controversial old studio-produced cartoons were heavily edited for content or pulled from public broadcast altogether. Themes needed to demonstrate positive moral or ethical values, such as good always triumphing over evil or teamwork succeeding where individual or selfish efforts failed. By the 1980s, many animation companies found it difficult to produce new material under such limiting conditions. A ruling from the US Congress in 1990, the Children’s Television Act (CTA), marked the beginning of the end of the Saturday morning cartoons. The CTA mandated that networks make children’s programming to include more educational shows. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) strengthened those rules in 1996 by stating that networks were now required to broadcast three hours of programming designated as "educational or informative" (E/I). This effectively put an end to the original concept of Looney Tunes cartoons, which could not be construed as either educational or informative, unless of course the information was that a small umbrella is no match for a falling boulder. In the meantime, cable TV had entered the scene, with channels like the Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon becoming the new masters of children’s programming. And cable networks weren’t beholden to the FCC rules. NBC was first to do away with its Saturday morning cartoon block in 1992 and CBS shortly followed suit. ABC hung in there until 2004 and October 4, 2014, marked the first weekend in America without Saturday morning cartoons in over 50 years. Since Anyhigh.life, like cable tv, also isn’t beholden to any FCC rules, we thought we’d take a look at some interesting facts about some of our favorite old cartoons, regardless of their educational or informative merits. There was a written list of rules for Wile E. Coyote: Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner are a duo of cartoon characters from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. In each episode, the Coyote repeatedly attempts to catch and subsequently eat the Road Runner but is never successful. Instead of his animal instincts, the Coyote uses absurdly complex contraptions to try to catch his prey, which comically "backfire," with the Coyote often getting injured in slapstick fashion. Chuck Jones, who directed many of the episodes, had a written list of nine rules for the two characters that could never be deviated from. Collars & Neckties Save Time & Money: From Yogi Bear to Fred Flintstone to Huckleberry Hound, the animated stars of many Hanna-Barbera cartoons were drawn wearing collars because it cut down significantly on the number of drawings needed for each episode. According to Joseph Barbera, putting a collar or necktie around a character helped cut costs because, with a collar, animators only had to worry about drawing a character's head; the body could remain relatively static. This technique, called "limited animation," developed "because there was no money, absolutely no money," according to Barbera. Jack Nicholson, Animator? When Jack Nicholson arrived in Hollywood he was hired in May 1955 as an "office pinky" - essentially a mailroom clerk. His duties included serving as a go-between for MGM animation. Nicholson made friends with many animators at MGM and even proved himself to have drawing skills. William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, both working for MGM at the time, saw promise in him and offered him a job as an animator. Nicholson turned them down, determined to break into acting instead. Cat & Mouse Awards: William Hanna and Joseph Barbera created the cartoon cat-and-mouse team of Tom & Jerry in 1940. Over the subsequent two decades the stand-alone Tom and Jerry cartoons would earn a dozen Academy Award nominations and take home seven Oscar statues. For those who’d like to check the winning toons out, they are 1943, The Yankee Doodle Mouse (1943), Mouse Trouble (1944), Quiet Please!(1944), The Cat Concerto (1945), The Little Orphan (1946), The Two Mousketeers (1951) and Johann Mouse (1952). Johnny Bravo started as a Senior Thesis: As a college student at Loyola Marymount University, Van Partible, who moved to the US from the Philippines as a young boy, created a video for his senior thesis called "Mess O' Blues." The short film was about Johnny Bravo, an Elvis Presley-like figure with a big ego and a total lack of self-awareness. Partible's animation professor showed it to a friend at Hanna-Barbera Productions and they reached out to Partible to develop a longer version. He did that and sold what become Johnny Bravo to the studio soon after. Johnny Bravo debuted as a series in 1997 and ran until 2004. Guest Voices on Scooby-Doo: When “The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo” episode aired in 1985, it featured a character, Vincent Van Ghoul. Van Ghoul was voiced by horror film star, Vincent Price and the character even looked much like the real guy. But Scooby-Doo was no stranger to celebs who made guest appearances. The Harlem Globetrotters, Sonny Bono and Cher, and Don Knotts all provided voices for episodes over the years. Frank Sinatra & Scooby Doo: Frank Sinatra's 1966 song "Strangers in the Night" closes with a somewhat bungled, but famous riff, "scooby dooby doo," which inspired the name of a famous, mystery-solving canine. According to television executive Fred Silverman, who had an idea for a show about teenage mystery solvers, he heard the song while on a plane and it made him think of making their dog a key character. According to Silverman, “As we’re landing...Frank Sinatra comes on, and I hear him say, "scooby-dooby-doo." That’s it, we’ll name the dog and the series Scooby-Doo.” Silverman made it happen and Scooby-Doo was born. Kurt Cobain Sings Ren & Stimpy: According to voice actor Billy West, grunge icon Kurt Cobain could have written the theme song for Ren & Stimpy but was turned down. West said Cobain came to the show’s studio and offered to write the song. “One day, this scraggly kid comes in and said he wanted to write a theme song for Ren & Stimpy, and they said, "Yeah, that's great," and they threw it in the wastebasket. It was Kurt Cobain.” According to Flavorwire, this might have been around 1992, just as Nirvana was breaking into the mainstream. Ever since West told this story, Cobain fans have wondered what happened to this song - and if it might be one of the home recordings released on Montage of Heck in 2015. West said he doesn’t think the song exists, that it was just a proposal. Drunk Fans Worried About Barney Rubble: Hanna-Barbera representatives used to get calls from drunk fans who needed to know what Barney, famous best friend of Fred Flintstone, would put as his occupation on his tax forms. One security guard said the calls were so common, he simply responded: “I know why you’re calling; you want to know what Barney Rubble did for a living. He worked at the quarry. But why don’t you call back after opening hours?” That remains the company stance on Barney's job to this day. However, while he worked at Mr. Slate's quarry, there's still no real clarity as to what he did there. Jackie Gleason Wanted to Sue Fred Flinstone: Ok, well not exactly. But there was a lot that Jackie Gleason disliked a lot about The Flintstones, including how the voices resembled his and his The Honeymooners costar, Art Carney. Gleason played Ralph Kramden - from whom Fred Flintstone was derived - while Carney played his friend, Ed Norton - the foundation for Barney Rubble. The thematic similarities between the two shows were glaring and infuriating to Gleason. When he broached the idea of suing the show, his lawyer advised against it telling Gleason it wasn't a good idea to try to - and maybe even succeed at - getting one of the most successful television shows off the air. Mel Blanc, Man of a Thousand Voices: At one point or another, Mel Blanc voiced nearly all the major cartoon characters for Looney Toons and beyond, including Bugs Bunny, Pepe Le Pew, Sylvester, Tweety, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and Elmer Fudd. He even voiced Barney Rubble from a hospital bed after a serious car accident. According to Blanc’s son, Noel, the prolific voice actor's connection to one of his best-known characters, Bugs Bunny, was undeniable. When Blanc was in a coma, doctors searched for signs of life, speaking to him with no response. Eventually, after seeing Looney Tunes playing on the TV, they switched to another tactic. "The doctor finally says, 'Bugs, can you hear me?'" Noel recalled. To which Mel in character responded, "Yeah, what’s up, doc?” And did you ever wonder ‘what are the best cartoons to watch high’? We’re pretty sure you’re not alone. We’re offering a couple thoughts on the subject here should you find yourself on the couch, in front of the tv, with the Devils Lettuce some lazy afternoon: Rick & Morty – With its time and dimension-bending storylines, wacky animation, and absurd humor, this one will have you philosophizing and laughing off your couch. Family Guy– Its frenetic pace and cutaway gags will ensure that your short attention span always has something to laugh at. And special shoutout to “Episode 420” where Brian and Stewie launch a campaign to legalize weed and sing the musical number “Everything’s Better with a Bag of Weed”. The Simpsons – So many guests stars have appeared on this one it’s hard to count. But for this list, special mention to Cheech & Chong and to Snoop Dog for their memorable visits to Springfield. Scooby-Doo – There’s always been the thought that Shaggy was an enormous stoner. After all, he was always slow, always hungry, and he talks to his dog. Tom & Jerry – Featuring over-the-top cartoony violence and a blasting orchestral score, T&J is great for when you’re too baked to comprehend dialogue. Bob’s Burgers – The crazy corny puns throughout the show go from groan worthy to profound if you’re under the influence. South Park – Nuff said. So, after all this, the question remains: will cartoons ever return to Saturday mornings to the same degree that they existed during the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s? The answer is, of course, no. The reason for this is the same reason why people no longer watch silent movies or black and white TVs or primetime sitcoms where married couples sleep in separate beds: once things evolve, they seldom return to their simpler forms. Saturday morning cartoons were a phenomenon that now resides in the history books and cherished memories for those who reveled in their animated wonders. There are many lists of the top cartoons and we’re offering a link to one of them here - https://www.ign.com/lists/top-100-animated-series/100 We were happy to see that our top three favorites made the list: Duckman (#48) Speed Racer (#29) and Rocky & Bullwinkle (#11) What were – or are - your favorite cartoons? Tell us in the comments below. #cartoons #animation #Saturday #morning #roadrunner #wileecoyote #bugsbunny #rockyandbullwinkle #duckman #speedracer #scoobydoo #looneytoons #franksinatra #kurtcobain #renandstimpy #southpark #thesimpsons #familyguy #tomandjerry #rickandmorty #melblanc #jackiegleason #theflintstones #fredflintstone #barneyrubble #johnnybravo #jacknicholson #anyhigh

We recently came across (and purchased) a manga illustrated book of four short stories by one of our favorite authors, Haruki Murakami. For those who may not be familiar, Murakami is a renowned Japanese author whose unique and captivating style of writing has earned him international acclaim. Born in 1949 in Kyoto, Japan his literary journey began after he opened a jazz bar in Tokyo and decided to become a writer. Murakami’s writing is characterized by its surreal and dreamlike quality, blending elements of magical realism, existentialism, and the ordinary with the extraordinary. His novels often feature somewhat detached protagonists who embark on surreal journeys, both physical and psychological, seeking solace from loneliness and alienation in their search for identity in a modern, fast-paced world. Two of his works that we can highly recommend as a stepping off point for discovering Murakami are “A Wild Sheep Chase”, which combines elements of detective fiction with surrealism as the protagonist embarks on a quest to find a mysterious sheep with a star-shaped birthmark, and “Kafka on the Shore”, which is a mesmerizing tale of two protagonists whose lives intertwine in a world where reality and fantasy blur. And all this talk of Murakami got us to thinking about Japan. Made up of more than 6,800 islands, Japan is a land of captivating contrasts. From the cacophony of the crowded streets of Tokyo to the tranquility of the temples of Kyoto, every corner of this archipelago tells a different story. From a culture steeped in ancient traditions to cutting-edge technological marvels, this enigmatic island nation often mirrors the surreal and dreamlike narratives from the pages of a Murakami novel. But what lies beyond the cherry blossoms and the sushi? Indeed, much like Murakami’s captivating novels, Japan itself is a place where reality and imagination intertwine, where the past dances with the present, and where the future remains an open book. So today we’re going to take a look at some fascinating facts and uncover some of the lesser-known secrets about the Land of the Rising Sun as we take a journey through Murakami’s Japan. Oldest Companies: A report by the Bank of Korea that looked at 41 countries determined there were 5,586 companies older than 200 years. Of these, 3,146, or 56% are in Japan. The world’s oldest company, Kongo Gumi Co. Ltd., was a construction company that was founded in 578 A.D. It became a subsidiary of a much newer construction firm in 2006, but there are still six other Japanese companies that were founded before the year 1000 A.D. that are still in operation today! Fortune Cookies: Even though fortune cookies are served in almost every Chinese restaurant, they didn’t originate in China. They were based on a cookie made in Kyoto. The tsujiura senbei is visually similar to the modern fortune cookie but it contains miso and sesame, rather than vanilla and butter. The modern fortune cookie is believed to have been created by Japanese immigrants to the USA in the early 20th century. Oldtimers: It is estimated that more than 25% of the Japanese population is over 65 with over 12% aged 75 or above. Japan has the longest life expectancy with men living to around 81 years and women around 87 and it’s estimated that there are more than 50,000 people over 100 years old. When you take into consideration that the Japanese are an overworked nation that smokes and drinks a lot, this is even more impressive. It’s also a fact that, due to the declining birth rate, there are more adult diapers sold than baby diapers. Incidentally, the third Monday in September every year is “Respect for the Aged Day” in Japan. Power Naps are In: The Japanese work longer hours than any other country in the world, and sleep the least hours on a weeknight. So, fortunately, sleeping on the job is allowed. It’s called inemuri, which literally means “to be asleep while present”. Catching a quick snooze is considered as a sign of working hard and being busy, rather than slacking off. There are strict rules that are written nowhere but everyone knows them, like how you do it – remain upright while dozing to show that you are still socially engaged in some way. Bushu-suru: On 8 January 1992, at about 20:20 JST, while attending a banquet hosted by the Prime Minister of Japan, Kiichi Miyazawa, U.S.President George H. Bush fainted after vomiting in Miyazawa's lap. Doctors later attributed the incident to a case of acute gastroenteritis. In Japan, Bush was remembered for this event for several years. According to the Encyclopedia of Political Communication, "The incident caused a wave of late-night television jokes and ridicule in the international community, even coining the Japanese term Bushu-suru which means 'to do the Bush thing'" (or "Bushing it"). The Curse of the Colonel: Kentucky Fried Chicken is a really big thing in Japan on Christmas day. We mean really big. People will order months in advance to be sure they get theirs and to avoid standing in long lines. But apparently, you don’t want to piss off the Colonel. In 1985, while celebrating the Hanshin Tigers baseball team’s win of the Japan Championship Series fans threw a store-front statue of the Colonel into the Dotonbori River. This evidently angered the Colonel’s ghost who, it’s said, placed a curse on the team that they wouldn’t win another championship until the statue had been recovered. At least that was the excuse used to explain the team’s subsequent 18-year losing streak. The statue was recovered in 2009. The losing streak continues. Blood Type = Personality: Japanese culture treats blood types much like the Western world treats Zodiac symbols - mythical indicators of one’s personality and their compatibility with others. And blood type-themed products (condoms, drinks, books) are a good business in Japan. The belief is so prevalent that the Japanese version of Facebook has a “Blood Type” drop down option for profiles. Rascal the Raccoon: This was a 1977 Japanese animated tv series that ran for one season the plot of which revolved around a young boy who decided to provide shelter to a racoon. The boy attempts to domesticate the wild animal as part of his family, but he realizes through trials and tribulations that his efforts are futile and releases Rascal back into the wild. This cartoon inspired the Japanese to adopt baby racoons as pets and thousands were imported from America. After realizing how nasty and violent racoons really are, families started releasing them into forests as shown in the final episode of the cartoon. Having few natural predators in Japan, the released racoons reproduced like rabbits and today, wild racoons can be found in all 47 prefectures of Japan. It’s estimated that 80% of all temples in Japan have been damaged by rampaging racoons, the import of which are now banned. Waiter, There’s a Monkey in my Soup: There was a restaurant that used monkeys as waiters. The Kayabukiya Tavern (which closed after the 2011 earthquake) was located in the city of Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo. The restaurant’s owner owned two macaque monkeys who he employed to work. The first monkey, named Yat-chan, would be dressed in a shirt and shorts and would take customers’ drink orders and deliver them to the diners’ tables. The second, named Fuku-chan, was responsible for bringing the diners hot towels to clean their hands before ordering drinks. The customers would tip the monkeys with boiled soya beans. Due to Japanese animal rights regulations, the monkeys were only allowed to work for two hours a day. Adoption: 98% of all adoptions in Japan are of adult men between 20-30 years old, not children. The reason behind this is that business leaders need a son to take over their business and there’s a several-hundred-year-old tradition in which businesses adopt their executives, so companies or institutions are “family-run” groups. Today, this tradition of legal adoption is often paired with an arranged marriage situation known as ‘omiai’, that is if the company boss has a daughter. What happens is the adopted son marries the daughter of the boss and takes her family’s name. He becomes both the son and son-in-law, known in Japanese as ‘mukoyoshi’. There are even matchmaking companies that recruit available adoptees for company bosses. Rent A Family: In Japan, when you feel lonely, you can rent a family or go to a cuddle café. For the former, you can choose from a menu of actors to hire to play a platonic role in your life. You can hire a wife, a son, a mother or a grandfather, for example, and then do everyday activities together, like going shopping or eating dinner. For when you’re longing for affection though, it’s as easy as going to a cuddle café, called ‘soineya’, and hiring a woman in pajamas to snuggle with you for an hour. Watermelons Squared: How to fit that huge watermelon in the fridge? And then there’s always the problem of trying to cut the fruit when it kept rolling around. Ever the innovators, the Japanese have come up with compact, non-rolling cube-shaped watermelons. To make it happen, farmers grow melons in glass boxes and the fruit then naturally assumes the same shape. They are shipped all over Japan but, costing up to USD $100 and more, they appeal mainly to the wealthy or fashion-conscious. Kanamara Matsuri: This is a Shinto festival which literally translates to the “Festival of the Steel Phallus”. Celebrated the first Sunday in April in the city of Kawasaki, the phallus is the star of the day, and everything is phallic-shaped in its honor. This includes candy, carved vegetables, and various decorations. The origin of the festival comes from an old Shinto fable. Legend has it that a sharp toothed demon, driven by envy, once hid in the private parts of a beautiful young woman and bit off her suitor’s penis. Desperate, the young woman sought assistance from a blacksmith who created an iron phallus, which broke the demon’s teeth and caused it to flee. Apparently, the suitor somehow managed to grow his penis back and everyone lived happily ever after. The Stationmaster Cat: Name: Tama. Born: April 29,1999. Died: June 22, 2015. Residence: Kishi Railway Station, Kinokawa, Japan. Occupation: Stationmaster & Operating Officer. Species: Cat. In 2006, the Wakayama Electric Railway was going to close the Kishi Station to save money. However, the president of the railway saw Tama, who had been living inside the station, as a maneki-neko, or ‘beckoning cat’, a common Japanese figurine which is believed to bring good luck and wealth. On January 5, 2007, railway officials officially awarded Tama the title of Station Master. Her primary duty was to greet passengers. In lieu of a salary, the railway provided Tama with a year’s worth of cat food and a gold name tag stating her name and position. In July of 2008 Tama was presented with two specially designed station master’s hat, one for cold weather and one for summer. After the publicity around Tama’s appointment, passenger traffic to the Kishi station increased by 17% and a study estimated that Tama contributed 1.1 billion yen (close to USD $650,000) to the local economy. Often cited as a phenomenon known in Japan as “Nekonomics” (“cat economy”), this refers to the positive economic impact of having a cat mascot. On December 5, 2007, Tama was recognized with the railways “Top Station Runner Award”. Her year-end bonus included a special cat toy and a celebratory slice of crab, which was fed to Tama by the company president. On January 5, 2008, Tama was promoted to “Super Station Master” in a ceremony attended by the president of the company, the mayor, and approximately 300 spectators. As a result of her promotion, she was “the only female in a managerial position in the company”. An additional “S” was added to her gold name tag for “super”. In January 2010, Tama was promoted to “Operating Officer” in recognition of her contribution to expanding the railway’s customer base. She still maintained her station master’s job while taking on the responsibilities of the new job. Tama was the first cat to become an executive of a railroad corporation. To celebrate this great honor, the station building at Kishi was rebuilt with a new façade resembling a cat’s face. Continuing her meteoric career path, in January 2011, she was promoted to “Managing Executive Officer”. This made her third in line in management after the company president and the managing director. Tama died on June 22, 2015, of apparent heart failure. She was honored with a Shinto-style funeral at the station and over 3,000 people attended. After the traditional fifty day mourning period, Tama was succeeded by her deputy, Nitama. Nitama’s first official duty was to be conveyed to her predecessor’s shrine to pay her respects. On April 29, 2017, on what would have been her 18th birthday, Google honored Tama with a Google doodle. So, this brings us to the end our journey through the fascinating tapestry that is Japan. A place where the things we presented could happen nowhere else. A place where ancient traditions seamlessly blend with modern innovations to create a truly remarkable cultural mosaic, much like the literary works of Murakami himself. Murakami’s ability to seamlessly weave the ordinary and the otherworldly, along with his exploration of the human psyche, has earned him a devoted global following while serving as a mesmerizing mirror into the intricacies of Japanese culture. Within the pages of his novels, one encounters not just the physical landscapes of Japan but also the ethereal landscapes of the human psyche. His exploration of themes like loneliness, existentialism, and the blending of reality and fantasy mirrors the deeply introspective nature of Japanese society. In his dreamlike narratives, readers are transported to a Japan where the mundane and the magical coexist, where ancient traditions harmonize with modernity, offering a glimpse into the soul of a nation that is both deeply rooted in its heritage and unceasingly forward-looking. Are you a Murakami fan? Tell us about your favorite reads in the books section of The Arts in our Forums. #books #murakami #harukimurakami #novels #japan #wildsheepchase #kafkaontheshore #festival #tokyo #travel #cat #racoon #anyhigh

September is one of our favorite months of the year because it salutes one of our favorite beverages of all time – BOURBON! On August 2, 2007, the United States Senate declared September as “National Bourbon Heritage Month” reinforcing a 1964 Act of Congress that declared bourbon as America’s “Native Spirit”. The bill was passed in the Senate by unanimous consent. Which goes to show that the really important things in life do cross party lines and political ideologies! Now, in our blog post of August 29, 2022, we saluted bourbon heritage month and offered a variety of ways to cure a hangover, so we didn’t want to do that again. Instead, today we’re going to offer a salute to some of the world’s coolest dive bars in honor of bourbon heritage month. The drinks at these spots may be good - great, even - but we all know that booze is only half the fun of a really cool dive bar. Whether the staff are slinging mai tais, absinthe, or dirt-cheap whiskey, we’re there for the history, the tall tales, and the quirky charm. From a former Klondike Gold Rush brothel to a 200-year-old Swiss tavern where customers drink while literally swinging from the rafters, if the walls in these joints could talk, they’d have serious stories to tell. Red Onion Saloon – Skagway, Alaska: Established in 1897 as a bordello for lonely miners, no visit to Skagway is complete without a visit to this historic saloon. The ground floor is a bar and restaurant where you can enjoy the spirit of your choice underneath a rather extensive display of bedpans. And, although the Red Onion’s days of providing additional services are long gone, you can still go up the ‘stairway to heaven’ for a ‘quickie’ tour of the former brothel. Each of the 10 original upstairs ‘entertaining’ rooms had several doors in case a quick exit was necessary. El Batey – San Juan, Puerto Rico: It’s said that if Old San Juan was a person, El Batey would be a scar on that person – not pretty, but it has stories to tell. Everyone from Alan Ginsberg (who read poetry here) to the Rolling Stones (who stopped in whenever they were passing through) to Hunter S. Thompson (who spent many an afternoon at the bar) has stopped in for a quaff. With a jukebox that only plays vinyl 45’s from heavy hitters of the 1960’s to the graffiti from hundreds of visitors scrawled over every inch of its walls, El Batey is an old, rough, genuine, and non-pretentious kind of dive bar. Tiki-Ti – Los Angeles, California: The fun seemingly never stops at this legendary third generation family-owned Sunset Boulevard watering hole. It’s founder, Ray Buhen, was a famous bartender to the stars during Hollywood’s Golden Age, serving the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Bette Davis, Clark Gable, John Wayne, and Howard Hughes. In 1961 he opened his own place, the Polynesian-themed Tiki-Ti, serving original drinks such as the Yellow Bird, Laka Nuki, Bonnie & Clyde, and the Missionary’s Downfall. The drinks are strong, the atmosphere is unlike anything else in L.A., and for those who can’t decide what they want, the bar has a wheel that patrons can spin to help them make up their mind. John Kavanagh aka The Gravediggers – Dublin, Ireland: This Dublin landmark, built adjacent to a wall of the Glasnevin Cemetery, has been serving ‘spirits’ since 1833. This was a workingman’s pub that originally drew much of their business from funerals, helping to comfort grieving families. And when they dispersed, it was the gravediggers who’d finish off their shifts with a pint. A repeat ‘customer’ was known as “the man in tweed”. A dapper ghost with a preference for Guinness. Eight generations of Kavanagh’s have been pouring behind the bar since it opened, and it’s won the award for Best Community Pub in Ireland by Irish Hospitality Global. Ear Inn – Manhattan, New York: The Ear Inn is NYC’s oldest bar continuously serving alcohol since 1817 and is on the national registrar of historic buildings. The building was constructed around 1770 for James Brown, an African aide to General George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. Brown is said to be depicted as the man rowing at Washington’s knee in the famous painting Crossing the Delaware. Throughout the course of its long history the building has been a distillery, a brothel, a smugglers den and a speakeasy. It earned the name The Ear in the 1970’s when, in order to give the place a more official title without wading through a sea of paperwork to satisfy the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the owners simply spray painted out the right-half of the “B” on the neon “Bar” sign out front. Thus the Ear Inn was born. Le Bar Dix – Paris, France: Le Bar Dix is a wine bar so lacking in frills and steeped in history that it feels just too good to be true. This local dive has been miraculously preserved (in sangria) since 1955. You’d be hard put to find something more ‘real’ than this tiny venue – more of a musty-smelling cave covered with posters and a patina of nicotine. The mustachioed barmen are mostly there to rein in clients whose carousing threatens to compete with the music, and to mop up spillages of the house sangria as the evening wears on. The menu is much as you’d expect. Apart from a few bottled beers and chorizo and cheese sandwiches, you’ll mostly be ordering sangria or sangria. Two Schmucks – Barcelona, Spain: This is a five-star dive-bar that truly lives up to its name and more. Embodying the hustler spirit, its owned by bartenders Moe Aljaf and AJ White who met in Oslo and moved to Barcelona together to open their own bricks and mortar joint which they built using recycled materials with their own two hands. How many dive bars can you name that were ranked #11 in 2021 and #7 in 2022 on The World’s 50 Best Bars? A casual place for a low-key quiet drink during the week, on the weekends, the crowd flowed into the street, cocktails in hand. Bad news is it recently closed down. Good news is they’re going on tour to pop up at various bars across the world while they get a new property in Barcelona sorted. Watch out for them at a bar near you! Pulqueria Las Duelistas, Mexico City: Pulque is the freshly fermented sap of giant agave. It has a slightly viscous texture and many well-documented nutritional qualities, having about the same potency as beer. Back in the 1880’s they say there was a pulqueria on every block in Mexico City. Today, just a handful remain that exclusively serve fresh pulque. With the graffiti-painted walls and ceilings, metal stools without cushions, ceiling fans, and no A/C the vibe is somewhat chaotic. Not for the shy, as you’ll likely have to squeeze into a communal table. There’s a lot of pride around pulque, and a certain communal aspect to it, so don’t be surprised if someone pours you a taste from his or her plastic pitcher. Jean Lafitte's Old Absinthe House - New Orleans, Lousiana: The Old Absinthe House is one of the oldest structures in New Orleans, dating to 1807. Legend suggests that, in 1812, then Major General Andrew Jackson (later a US President) conferred with the pirate, Jean Lafitte, in a secret chamber on the second floor to secure the pirate and his men's help in defeating the British in the Battle of New Orleans. In 1874 the establishment became famous for its cocktail, the Absinthe Frappe, also known as the "green monster", a mixture of absinthe and sugar water. More than 200 years after opening, The Old Absinthe House stands almost exactly as it always did. Rossotti’s Alpine Inn – Portola Valley, California: This unique roadside tavern, built in 1852 by a former San Jose mayor, has passed through various owners and names through the years. In the mid-1850’s it became a gambling hall and inn for Mexican-Californian’s displaced by the Mexican-American War. But it was on August 27, 1976, when a Stanford Research Institute van rolled up to the bar that history was made. The van occupants lugged a computer terminal into the back beer garden and set it down on a picnic table. Hooking the terminal up with cables to the van alongside the bar, Nicki Geannacopulos typed up a message, which was then sent through the packet radio network, to the ARPANET, and then onwards to its final destination, a computer terminal in Boston. This, wrote SRI researcher Don Nielson, was “the first internet transmission.” “While many people trace the Internet’s origins to the ARPANET of the late ’60s, in fact the word ‘internet’ means joining different kinds of individual networks together,” noted the Computer History Museum. So, be sure to stop by this second-longest-established saloon in California for a pint of history that stretches from the Wild West to the World Wide Web. Oepfelchammer – Zurich, Switzerland: Located in a building that was originally constructed as a residence for nobles more than 650 years ago, the Oepfelchammer puts a whole new meaning to the term hangover. They host a drinking ritual known as the balkenprobe, or beam challenge. Participants scramble and kick their way up onto a ceiling beam. They then crawl over to an adjacent rafter and hang upside down. A waiter brings over a glass of white wine and the inverted guest then attempts to down the entire glass without spilling it. You get three tries and, if successful, get to add your name to the collection of carvings on the wall. As we raise our glasses to celebrate Bourbon Heritage Month, let’s also toast to the enduring spirit of dive bars that have weathered the test of time. These establishments are more than just places to grab a drink; they are living relics of history, each with its own unique tales to tell. From the raucous Red Onion Saloon, where lonely miners sought solace, to the gritty charm of El Batey, where literary giants and rock legends once mingled, these dive bars are a testament to power of community, storytelling, and, of course, a good stiff drink. So, as we savor the rich flavors of bourbon this month, remember, also, to raise a glass to the world’s coolest dive bars. Where the walls echo with the laughter and secrets of generations past, reminding us that in the world of spirits, both liquid and spectral, there’s always a good story to be shared. Maybe you’ve patronized one of two of these places along the way? We’d love to hear about it, or about your favorite dive bar that didn’t make our list, in the comments below. Or tell us about it in the beverage section in our forums. And if you’re reading this in the United States, we encourage you visit our friends over at bourbonbanter.com (link in pic below) where you can enter for the chance to win weekly prizes in their “Bourbon Swag Giveaway”. Regardless, we intend to celebrate Bourbon Heritage at least 30 times this month. Cheers! #bourbon #heritage #30daysofbourbon #cocktails #drinks #beverage #history #bars #divebars #hangover #alaska #puertorico #california #ireland #spain #barcelona #losangeles #newyork #france #paris #mexico #mexicocity #switzerland #lousiana #neworleans #internet #anyhigh