Peter Ostrum, who played Charlie in the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory currently earns just $8-9 every three months from royalty payments.
Zell Kravinsky donated his kidney…
Zell Kravinsky donated his kidney to a poor African American man. He calculated the chances of dying from the procedure at 1 in 4,000, and said “to withhold a kidney from someone who would otherwise die means valuing one’s own life at 4,000 times that of a stranger”.
For months, scientists in France…
For months, scientists in France could not figure out why seagulls they were tracking were traveling far inland, away from their breeding colony. Eventually, they traced the seagulls’ path and discovered they were visiting a chip factory.
The Melting Permafrost in Siberia Revealed a Mysterious 18,000-Year-Old Puppy
It turns out that maybe humans haven’t changed all that much in the past 20,000 years.
At least, not when it comes to puppy love.
Scientists believe the male animal, found near the Indigirka River in Siberia, was around 2 months old when it died. Despite it being preserved by the freezing temperatures with its fur, whiskers, and teeth intact, researchers are not entire sure what species the little guy belongs to.
“The Centre has Europe’s largest DNA bank of all canines from around the globe, yet in this case they couldn’t identify it from the first try,” admits Love Dalen, a representative from the Swedish Centre for Palaeogenetics.
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They do know it’s around 18,000 years old, though preliminary gene sequences was unable to confidently call it a wolf or a dog – or really anything we currently know about.
Well-preserved remains of an ice age wolf were discovered in the area a few years ago (40,000 years old), and dozens of woolly mammoth bodies have also been recovered from the frozen ground. Some scientists hope they’ll be able to use the partial DNA sequences to bring the species back to life (because clearly they’ve never seen Jurassic Park).
As far as humans, it appears that they settled in the northernmost parts of Russia around 32,500 years ago. Previous research suggests that people began domesticating dogs anywhere between 10,000-40,000 years ago, so this little guy could have been a pet, a protector, a working dog, or a wild wolf species – we just don’t know.
: Centre for Palaeogenetics/Vía UnivisiónScientists have called in Dogor, which means “friend” in the local Yakut language.
“This is intriguing, what if it’s a dog? We can’t wait to get results from further tests,” says Sergey Fedorov from the Institute of Applied Ecology of the North.
I’d have to say that’s an understatement, because I don’t think I’ve ever been more curious about an 18,000-year old anything in my entire life.
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Man Steals Electric Shopping Cart from Walmart and Drives It from Bar to Bar
Many of us have done some pretty stupid things when we’ve had too much to drink, but, if we’re lucky, we don’t get caught – and it definitely doesn’t become national news.
That’s not what happened to this guy.
Also, side note: if Bill Murray can drive around the streets of Stockholm in a golf cart, why can’t this guy have a little fun?
For the record, we don’t condone drinking and driving any kind of vehicle…but this is still kind of a hilarious story.
A man in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, stole an electric shopping cart from a Walmart and proceeded to drive it from bar to bar. The man, Brice Kendell Williams, 32, said he did it because he didn’t want to get a DUI, though he still ended up being charged with a felony for “Unauthorized use of a moveable.”
Louisiana Man (allegedly) gets drunk, doesn't want a DUI, steals electric shopping cart from Walmart, cruises half-mile to the bar https://t.co/hiphMJpEQI pic.twitter.com/mOseBPjUpI
— Busted Coverage (@bustedcoverage) November 5, 2019
Someone at a bar in Houma, Louisiana, reported to police that a man had arrived there on a motorized shopping cart after midnight. Police arrived at the bar and found the cart parked between cars in the parking lot. After he was arrested, Kendell told police that he had been at another bar earlier when he decided to steal the cart so he (hopefully) wouldn’t get a DUI.
I mean, why would a motorized cart from Walmart draw any attention if someone drove it up and parked it at a bar, right?
Kendell’s bond was set at $2,500.
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Running Once a Week Is Linked to a Decrease in the Risk of Early Death
This is excellent news for all you runners out there. And for those who don’t incorporate running as part of your regular routine, this might make you dig out your jogging shoes and hit the gym or the track pretty soon.
A study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine compiled data from 232,149 people whose habits were tracked for between 5.5 and 35 years. The researchers found that those who ran had a 27% lower risk of death than people who didn’t run.
Tp be clear, the study doesn’t guarantee that being a regular runner will lower your risk of early death, but it shows that there is definitely a link between the two.
The results of the study also suggest that you don’t need to be an extremely dedicated runner to get some of the health benefits, either. Researchers found that people who run less than 50 minutes per week, only once a week, or at speeds below 6 mph had similar results as intense runners re: early death rates. Non-runners did not.
Željko Pedišić, a co-author of the study, said, “This finding may be motivating for those who cannot invest a lot of time in exercise, but it should definitely not discourage those who already engage in higher amounts of running.”
So if you’re not a serious runner, or your schedule of work, family, kids, etc. doesn’t allow for you to run every day, at least consider getting out for one long jog a week or a few shorter jaunts.
Pedišić says that this also might help with your blood pressure, cholesterol, and keeping cancer and cardiovascular disease at bay.
Get out there and start running!
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A Guy Pranked San Francisco by Placing Airpod Stickers All over Town
AirPods aren’t cheap and everybody wants a pair of them. Also, if you do own a pair, you know by now that you can lose them at any moment. It’s kind of like owning a pair of earrings or a wedding ring that you regularly take off and put somewhere random.
Some funny fellow took advantage of the AirPods phenomenon and decided to pull a prank…on the entire city of San Francisco. A guy named Pablo Rochat printed up life-sized AirPod stickers and stuck them on the ground all over San Francisco.
I made life-size AirPod stickers and stuck them on the ground, all over the city
pic.twitter.com/hIrZD0wfom
— Pablo Rochat (@PabloRochat) November 17, 2019
They look very realistic, so you know that people who saw these on the ground either thought to themselves, “Shit, I just dropped an AirPod”, or “Awesome, someone else dropped their AirPod and now it’s MINE.”
Rochat said, “I often see people drop their AirPods, so I thought it would be funny to make it look like people are dropping their AirPods all over the city and see if people would try to pick them up.”
— Pablo Rochat (@PabloRochat) November 17, 2019
Rochat added, “That’s the best part. I love putting AirPod stickers on the ground and standing back to see people try to pick them up. Some people are amused by it, but a few have been angry that they were pranked. Joke’s on them!”
Here’s the best part: if you want to try this out in your hometown, Rochat tweeted out the free template for the AirPod stickers so we can all get in on the action. I’m know what I’m gonna do this weekend…I hope I don’t get beat up…again.
Footage of the AirPod sticker prank in action: pic.twitter.com/p9k1a8U29A
— Pablo Rochat (@PabloRochat) November 19, 2019
LOLzzzzzzzzz.
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A Judge Who Once Sentenced a Man to Prison Swore Him in as an Attorney
It was twenty years ago when Hillsdale County Circuit Court Judge Michael Smith sentenced Robert VanSumeren to 70-240 months in prison for robbery. This November, Smith showed everyone the meaning of a second chance by swearing in the 40-year-old as the county’s 169th attorney.
Joined by his wife, Dana, his two sons, and his sponsor, Marie Reimers, VanSumeren has officially completed his unbelievable redemption story, which began on the wrong side of Judge Smith’s courtroom all the way back in 1999. After his parents split up during his teenage years, VanSumeren turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with the pain. Unfortunately, those vices led to same damaging decisions, including robbing a gas station with a BB gun. Following an unarmed bank robbery, VanSumeren found himself in front of Judge Smith, who sent the newly convicted felon to prison.
Spending six years behind bars taught VanSumeren a valuable lesson and inspired him to turn his life around. Upon his release in 2005, the formerly troubled teen showed he would not squander a second chance at success. VanSumeren studied hard and earned a bachelors degree from Western Michigan University in 2006 before finishing up his masters in 2009. Yet, that wasn’t enough for the former inmate.
“Even as I started working on my bachelor’s and master’s in humanities, law kept floating back through my mind, but the obstacle was I didn’t know if I could make it,” he said.
Michigan attorney sworn in by judge who sent him to prison 20 years ago – @freep https://t.co/T1Ey64EPdP pic.twitter.com/GYTDGLohd8
— MI Supreme Court (@MISupremeCourt) November 26, 2019
In 2015, VanSumeren began his law degree at Wayne State University. While enrolled, he ironically learned from the same federal prosecutors and former judges who he detested back in his teenage years. Despite self-doubt about whether he should be open about his past, the father of two came to realize that he had to embrace all aspects of his story in order to move forward in his quest to become an attorney.
“In the community of people who have had legal troubles but have gone on to be professionals, there’s a debate about whether to disclose or not to disclose, to kind of go on with your life or talk about it,” he said. “I’ve chosen to talk about it and tell my story, and when people find out they’ve generally been very supportive.”
VanSumeren earned his law degree in early 2018 before passing the bar exam in July of that same year. However, he still had another significant hurdle to pass: getting the approval of the Character and Fitness Committee. After a lengthy process, the committee gave its blessing and recommended VanSumeren for approval to join the State Bar of Michigan.
"One person who helped VanSumeren deal with that resentment is a Michigan Department of Corrections counselor named Joseph Beaman…helped him redirect his angry energy toward prisoner reintegration programs, including a writing workshop." #OffenderSuccesshttps://t.co/BhHXgTHhr6
— MichiganDOC (@MichiganDOC) November 26, 2019
His journey from inmate to attorney would not have been possible without the support of Reimers. Now a staff attorney at Lakeshore Legal Aid, Reimers befriended VanSumeren during their first year of law school. She commends her former classmate for his perseverance and believes he is a great example for others to follow.
“It takes a lot of courage to go to law school and pass the bar exam knowing that there’s something in your past from when you were 19 that might keep you from becoming an attorney,” she said. “I’m just so proud of him.”
Judge Smith echoed Reimers’ sentiments for Hillsdale County’s newest attorney, stating that VanSumeren should be commended for his turnaround. That reaction is obviously rare in any courthouse, so let this case show you that it is never too late to write a redemption story.
Case closed.
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Man Creates Wintertime Shelters for Stray Cats out of Discarded Coolers
This is a great story.
Philip Rogich is a man we should all take a lesson from. The resident of Ogden, Utah, has taken it upon himself to look out for some of his town’s feral and stray critters this winter, which looks like it’s going to be a long and cold one.
Rogich takes discarded coolers that would have ended up in the trash and makes them into shelters for stray and feral kitties so they have a place to avoid the cold, harsh winter.
Posted by Batman of Ogden on Saturday, November 16, 2019
Rogich said, “Normally the cooler keeps things cold. We’re going to use it to keep animals warm. I actually have a 6-inch drill bit and then once you drill the hole you just use some pipe insulation to pad it. Everybody’s got a cooler in their garage that they’re not using.”
Rogich added that he uses straw inside the coolers because it dries relatively easily and that a regular cooler can hold up to three cats if they’re in the mood to snuggle.
Posted by Batman of Ogden on Saturday, November 16, 2019
Rogich said that he’s placed a few of the cat coolers around his town because “[Feral cats] just disappear, get overlooked. They get cold in the wintertime too. They’re living creatures…to me, living creatures, they deserve to have their basic needs met.”
Amen to that.
Productive Cat cooler day. Built 13 shelters all will be out by the end of the day. Took in 10 old coolers with 10…
Posted by Batman of Ogden on Thursday, November 14, 2019
Since the story of Rogich’s work gained popularity in the media, people have been donating old coolers and straw to him. If you want to get in touch with Rogich or donate supplies to him, you can reach out to him through his Facebook page.
Keep up the great work! Let’s do our best to help out all the cold and lonely animals that will be out on the streets this winter.
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The First Makeup Museum in the World Will Open in New York City in 2020
Because there’s basically a museum dedicated to everything these days, it makes sense that a museum dedicated to makeup should exist, too. And, frankly, it is sure to get some folks pretty excited.
In May 2020, the Makeup Museum is set to open in New York City. The museum is dedicated to telling the story of the impact that makeup has had on society, and the first exhibit will be called “Pink Jungle: 1950s Makeup in America.” This first installation will highlight the icons, entrepreneurs, and artifacts that defined that fascinating decade.
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Co-founder Doreen Bloch said,
“The Makeup Museum is a critical institution for the cultural landscape in New York because makeup has a 10,000-year history. There is so much that the Makeup Museum wants and has to explore. The 1950s is a perfect time period for the Makeup Museum to start within the debut exhibition because the 1950s is the birth of the modern cosmetics industry.”
Posted by Makeup Museum on Tuesday, July 16, 2019
The museum’s Facebook page talks about the mission of the organization:
“The Makeup Museum is the world’s leading institution exploring the history of beauty and its ongoing impact on society. The Makeup Museum is dedicated to empowering all people to learn about and have fun with beauty. The Makeup Museum brings beauty to life through large-scale exhibits, events, and interactive and shoppable programming.”
The museum will be located at 94 Gansevoort Street in New York City.
What do you think? Are you going to check this out when it opens next year? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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