Happy New Year!

 Stunning ‘Auld Lang Syne’ from University College Dublin’s choir

‘Auld Lang Syne’ has long been a song performed as a new year enters, with words that capture bittersweet reflection and a spirit of goodwill. And in the video below, it’s sung so powerfully.

The poem ‘Auld Lang Syne’ captures two friends catching up over a drink or two, their friendship having been long and occasionally distant. The words were written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788.

The song’s famous title translates as ‘old long since’, or ‘for the sake of old times’ – in other words, looking back, as a way to look forward.

Titanic first-class menu and victim's pocket watch each sell at auction for over $100,000

A rare menu from the Titanic's first-class restaurant sold at auction over the weekend along with a pocket watch from a man who died in the 1912 disaster at sea and a deck blanket from the ill-fated ocean liner. The items were put up for auction with dozens of other transportation memorabilia Saturday in the U.K.
How much did the Titanic menu sell for at auction?

The menu sold for 83,000 British pounds (about $101,600), according to auction house Henry Aldridge and Son Ltd. Dated April 11, 1912, the menu shows what the Titanic's most well-to-do passengers ate for dinner three days before the ship struck an iceberg that caused it to sink in the Atlantic Ocean within hours.

Featuring such dishes as spring lamb with mint sauce, "squab à la godard" and "apricots bordaloue," the menu shows some signs that it was exposed to water. It was found earlier this year among the personal belongings of a Canadian historian who lived in Nova Scotia, where recovery ships brought the remains of those who died in the catastrophe.

A Titanic menu from April 11, 1912, was sold at auction in the U.K.COURTESY HENRY ALDRIDGE AND SON LTD.

How the menu came to be in the historian's possession is unknown, according to the auction house. He died in 2017, and his family found the menu tucked away in a photo album from the 1960s.

A pocket watch recovered from a Russian immigrant sold for 97,000 pounds (about $118,700), according to the auction house. Sinai Kantor, 34, was one of the over 1,500 people who died in the disaster. He was immigrating to the U.S. with his wife, Miriam, who survived the tragedy.

A pocket watch recovered from a Titanic victim was sold at auction in the U.K.COURTESY HENRY ALDRIDGE AND SON LTD.

After Kantor's body was recovered from the Atlantic, his belongings were returned to his wife, according to the auction house. The items included his Swiss-made, silver-on-brass pocket watch with Hebrew figures on its heavily stained face.

A deck blanket from the Titanic sold for slightly less than the watch at 96,000 pounds (about $117,500), according to the auction house.

The tartan blanket features the logo for White Star Line, the British company that owned and operated the Titanic. The blanket was used on a lifeboat and then taken on a rescue ship to New York, where it was acquired by a White Star official, according to the auction house.

A deck blanket from the Titanic was sold at auction in the U.K.COURTESY HENRY ALDRIDGE AND SON LTD.

via CBS News

Dog Comes to the Rescue!

 

via Denise Griffitts

 

Rescue beaver makes Christmas dam in house [via Nina Reznick]

 

Merry Christmas, Norway closes roads to let reindeer through

 

Christmas HO HO HA HA HA

 

This mirror portrait was taken 100 years ago in Japan.

 

#LOL

 

The Genius of Steven Wright

1 - I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize.

2 - Borrow money from pessimists -- they don't expect it back.

3 - Half the people you know are below average.

4 - 99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

5 - 82.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

6 - A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.

7 - A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

8 - If you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain.

9 - All those who believe in psycho kinesis, raise my hand.

10 - The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

11 - I almost had a psychic girlfriend, ..... But she left me before we met.

12 - OK, so what's the speed of dark?

13 - How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink?

14 - If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.

15 - Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

16 - When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

17 - Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.

18 - Hard work pays off in the future; laziness pays off now.

19 - I intend to live forever ... So far, so good.

20 - If Barbie is so popu, why do you have to buy her friends?

21 - Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

22 - What happens if you get scared half to death twice?

23 - My mechanic told me, "I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder."

24 - Why do psychics have to ask you for your name

25 - If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.

26 - A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.

27 - Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

28 - The hardness of the butter is proportional to the softness of the bread.

29 - To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.

30 - The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.

31 - The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up.

32 - The colder the x-ray table, the more of your body is required to be on it.

33 - Everyone has a photographic memory; some just don't have film.

34 - If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

35 - If your car could travel at the speed of light, would your headlights work

Street Art by Banksy in Gaza, Palestine

 

By Banksy in Gaza, Palestine.

In the rubble-strewn streets of Gaza, an unexpected figure emerges – a playful kitten adorned with a sassy red bow. This street art gem is none other than Banksy’s signature touch, adding a splash of amusement to a landscape of devastation.

Banksy’s kitten, with its wild fur and wide-eyed curiosity, feels like a tongue-in-cheek nod to resilience amidst chaos. It’s as if the kitten is saying, “I’ve got nine lives, and not even this rubble can phase me!” Yet, the ruins around tell a deeper, sadder tale of a city bearing the scars of conflict.

In just one image, Banksy manages to capture Gaza’s heartbreaking reality and sprinkle it with a dash of hope and humor. It’s a bittersweet blend of artistry, offering a momentary escape while urging us not to forget.

Nancy Green, the original Aunt Jemima model

 A great woman erased from history by idiots.

The branding of the syrup was a tribute to this woman’s gifts and talents. The world knew her as “Aunt Jemima”, but her given name was Nancy Green and she was a true American success story.

She was born a slave in 1834 Montgomery County, KY. and became a wealthy superstar in the advertising world, as its first living trademark. Green was 56-yrs old when she was selected as spokesperson for a new ready-mixed, self-rising pancake flour and made her debut in 1893 at a fair and exposition in Chicago.

She demonstrated the pancake mix and served thousands of pancakes, and became an immediate star. She was a good storyteller, her personality was warm and appealing, and her showmanship was exceptional. Her exhibition booth drew so many people that special security personnel were assigned to keep the crowds moving.

Nancy Green was signed to a lifetime contract, traveled on promotional tours all over the country, and was extremely well paid. Her financial freedom and stature as a national spokesperson enabled her to become a leading advocate against poverty and in favor of equal rights for all Americans. She maintained her job until her death in 1923, at age 89. This was a remarkable woman.

3D Zebra Stripe Crosswalk in Iceland Slows Traffic with Stunning Optical Illusion

The use of illusion in art is nothing new, but a small town in Iceland is using the effect to help with public safety and traffic issues. In the small fishing village of Ísafjörður, a 3D pedestrian crossing was painted last month in an effort to slow traffic on a narrow street.

The eye-popping illusion gives the effect of walking on air as pedestrians move from one side of the street to the other. Environmental commissioner Ralf Trylla came up with the idea after seeing a similar project in New Delhi, India. Trylla was researching creative ideas on how to slow traffic when he stumbled upon the India project and came together with street painting company Vegmálun GÍH to create the effect. They experimented for several weeks before perfecting the technique and painting the crosswalk.

The visual effect is striking, as the optical illusion shifts depending on your perspective. From the air, the white stripes jump up, making them appear as a column of walls. While at ground level, the bars seem to hover just above the ground. Right now the project is experimental, with the town seeing what effect the creative zebra crossing will have before deciding if they’d like to roll out more in other areas of the village.

Read more 

A woman’s glove from 1850’s in London, used for self-defense.

 

#LOL

 

 

Randy Rainbow GURL BYE 👋🏻

 

Funny Notes

Creativity Passive Aggressive

We’re fairly certain one of the biggest disputes between people who live together is dirty dishes. Leaving a note is the ultimate passive-aggressive move, but honestly, if you’re able to add a little bit of creativity to it, then maybe it’s not so bad?

Reddit.com/asardoni


We’d like to assume this note came after multiple times the recipient of the note was asked to start doing the dishes more often. A last resort, if you will.



It’s a SPOON SPOON!

This one feels supremely justified and quite a creative solution. Nobody wants all kinds of different hands touching the object that’s going into their mouth.


Reddit.com/Sinc3rIT


We think it’s a great idea and applaud whoever thought of it. But also, we can’t let go of the fact that they seriously missed the opportunity to say SPOON SPOON!



Sorry Not Sorry

The old adage "what goes around comes around" seems to have played out in a recent employment situation. The employer in question appeared to lack empathy when their employee required time off for personal reasons. In response, the employee delivered a scathing and sarcastic "apology," suggesting that their need for time off was not taken seriously by their employer.


Imgur.com/jBSQM0N


While this may seem harsh, it's possible that the employer's lack of understanding was equally unforgivable. Perhaps this situation will serve as a lesson to the employer, reminding them to treat their employees with compassion and respect, especially in difficult circumstances. In the end, it's crucial for companies to prioritize the well-being of their staff, recognizing that happy employees make for a productive and successful workplace.



A Real Funny Guy

To be honest, we are not sure if this practical joke is some type of revenge thing or rather a gag between friends or family members. What we do know is, that momentary feeling when you see a piece of paper on your windshield and your heart drops into your stomach is not fun, to say the least.


Twitter/@saved_a_click


I guess we’ll never know what the receiver did to deserve this prank, but we imagine it probably did the trick. And we will also never know how the receiver reacted to the fake ticket. What we do know is that they took a photo of it and posted it on social media. So they didn't ignore it, that's for sure.



Touching Reindeers

Whoever wrote this original note wasn’t politely asking their co-workers not to touch their mug. As far as they’re concerned, it’s a given that no one touches the reindeer mug! After all, the reindeer mug is sacred. It was forged in the mines of Lapland and is only ever drunk out of by Santa Claus himself and this employee.


Reddit.com/Pistolfist


Clearly, this assumption is just begging for the mug to be touched — and touched it was. Luckily for the guy who wrote the note, it seems that it was only touched, nothing more. But maybe that makes it worse? You'll have to ask him. And hopefully, coffee time isn't too awkward.



A Well Deserved Goodbye

The passive-aggressiveness is just oozing from every angle of this letter. There is nothing apologetic about this note, and from the sounds of it, rightfully so. It's just downright direct, takes no prisoners and gets down to brass tacks - just the way we like it (as innocent bystanders, that is).


Reddit.com/Leviathin


By reading this letter and a few others on this list, it is safe to say that we think it’s time employers wake up and start treating their employees like human beings. The better the work conditions, the less likely employers will be to receive resignation letters like this one, calling them out on their BS.

#LOL

 

Fear not what is before you; for those that care are behind you.

Photo by © Woburn safari park

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Things that make you go hmmmmmm...

 Letter from actor Cary Grant to Moe Howard of the Three Stooges.

Oldest Infant Burial Found In The Netherlands

Dutch archaeologists, have discovered a 6,000 year old Stone Age burial, of a mother cradling a baby in her arm.

It was found in Nieuwegein, and is the oldest infant burial, ever found in the Netherlands.

They also discovered four other skeletons.

One of them was the skeleton of a young woman of 20-30 years of age.

At first they didnt realise there was an infant with the young woman.

It was the woman's right arm bent at an angle, that suggested there was something in her arms.

 Archaeologists then discovered small bone fragments, pieces of a clavicle, skull and jawbone complete with milk teeth.

The teeth were so small, they deduced these remains belonged to a newborn.
The archaeological team hope to determine through DNA analysis, that the skeletons are that of a mother and her child.

#LOL