The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

Strange But True





 

 

• It was journalist, entrepreneur and philanthropist Esther Dyson who made the following sage observation: “The Internet is like alcohol in some sense. It accentuates what you would do anyway. If you want to be a loner, you can be more alone. If you want to connect, it makes it easier to connect.”

• In China, the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau, which issues license plates, has recently stopped allowing the number 4 to appear on the tags. Evidently the number sounds like the word for “death” and is therefore considered to be unlucky.

• Here’s a startling statistic: If your family is average, you throw out about $600 in unspoiled food every year.

• If you’re planning a vacation sometime in the near future, you might want to keep in mind Travel & Leisure magazine’s most recent city rankings. These rankings didn’t involve food or culture, though. For this particular list, readers voted on the cities with the most- and least-attractive people. If you enjoy people-watching, head to Charleston, S.C., which reportedly boasts the most attractive populace, followed by San Diego and Savannah, Ga., in second and third places. The U.S. cities with the least attractive residents? According to the survey, they’re Memphis, Baltimore and Philadelphia.

• Have you ever wondered what the largest irrigated crop in the United States is? It’s not soybeans, wheat or even corn; it’s grass, mostly in lawns, parks and golf courses.

• In Turkey, a traditional Muslim wedding lasts anywhere from four to seven days. During that time the bride’s family and the groom’s family participate in separate celebrations, and the bride and groom are not allowed to see each other until the ceremony at the end.

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Thought for the Day: “The secret of life is to appreciate the pleasure of being terribly, terribly deceived.” — Oscar Wilde

(c) 2010 King Features Synd.

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