Month: December 2019

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Essentially all penicillin produced…

Essentially all penicillin produced after 1943 originated with a mold sample found on a cantaloupe in Peoria, Illinois. The moldy part was cut off and cultured and the lab technicians ate the rest of the fruit.

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After a head injury, Derek Amato was diagnosed…

After a head injury, Derek Amato was diagnosed with Acquired Musical Savant Syndrome, and suddenly could play expert level piano. When asked during an interview to perform a simple song, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”. He attempted, struggled, and gave up.

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A Young Man With Autism Opened His Own Coffee Shop After No One Would Hire Him

This is a perfect example of persevering in life despite all the odds stacked against you.

Michael Coyne has struggled with many things in his life, including autism, ADHD, and bipolar disorder. Despite these challenges, Coyne has accomplished a lot, including competing in the Special Olympics. When he turned 21, he decided he wanted to join the workforce in the food service industry. But there was one major roadblock: no one was willing to hire Coyne because he is autistic.

He said, “I applied to multiple places. None of them would hire me.”

Come on by for muffins and coffees, Michael's here until 6! ☕

Posted by Red White & Brew Coffeehouse on Friday, November 22, 2019

So Coyne, ever the fighter, decided he would take his life into his own hands and opened up his own coffee shop in North Smithfield, Rhode Island, called Red, White & Brew. Coyne said he will hire people with and without special needs to help run his business because he wants to help people who are autistic to integrate into regular jobs.

Can the days get any better here at Red White and Brew?? I am honestly not sure they can! Not only was our day VERY…

Posted by Red White & Brew Coffeehouse on Monday, November 25, 2019

Red, White & Brew’s Facebook page spells out the coffee shop’s mission very clearly: “We are a family-owned coffee shop serving up more than a cup of coffee. We employ people with developmental disabilities, encourage community engagement, and change the way the world sees those with disabilities.”

What a weekend here at Red White and Brew!! Wow! You all brought it!! We are so humbled by the outpouring of support….

Posted by Red White & Brew Coffeehouse on Sunday, November 24, 2019

Coyne’s mother Sheila helped her son get his business off the ground. She said,  “As parents, we look at our kids and see the value,” Michael’s mother Sheila Coyne said. “We see what they are capable of, instead of the system that’s consistently labeling them and putting barriers.”

Congratulations, Michael!

And, reader, if you happen to be in the area, stop by and have a visit and a coffee.

The post A Young Man With Autism Opened His Own Coffee Shop After No One Would Hire Him appeared first on UberFacts.

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Samuel L. Jackson’s Voice Has Arrived on Alexa. With Profanity and All…

I live in an Alexa household, even though we’re well aware we’ve invited the government and big business and probably more eyes and ears into our homes. It just makes it so easy to add things to the grocery list, turn the lights off and on (because who wants to stand up?), play music, and on and on.

Even so, I’ll be the first person to say that Alexa’s voice can quickly go from pleasant to annoying, depending on one’s mood.

Do you know whose melodious voice is always welcome, though?

One Samuel L. Jackson.

And now, he can be the voice turning your lights on and adding stuff to your shopping list.

The Guardian is reporting that Amazon has confirmed they will be using neural text-to-speech technology to mimic Jackson’s voice, so it won’t just be pre-recorded phrases – Jackson can do anything from read you the weather to sing you Happy Birthday.

He won’t be able to help with your shopping, reminders, lists, or other Alexa Skills. Womp-womp.

This is all with Samuel L. Jackson’s approval, of course, and you’re certainly aware that the award-winning actor is as famous for his blue language as his performance skills – which is why Alexa is going to allow you to set your device to allow him to swear appropriately in his responses.

Which you know, is just a win for everyone involved, really.

You’ll be able to download the technology for just $.99 to start, but if you want to keep it forever, eventually you’ll have to pay $4.99.

If you’re someone like my sister, who gets prissy about profanity, don’t worry – Amazon promises that deals with other celebrities are in the works, and before long “Alexa” could be just about anyone you like.

Which is a little terrifying.

The post Samuel L. Jackson’s Voice Has Arrived on Alexa. With Profanity and All… appeared first on UberFacts.

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You Can Now Buy a Stat-Tracking Smart Condom

In my mind, being intimate with a partner is something that should maintain some level of mystery.

Or at the very least, you should just be able to cuddle afterward instead of comparing stats like you’re trying to make the playoffs.

So, this might fall under the category of Nobody Asked For This, but British Condoms is giving it to you anyway: a penis ring that measures all of your stats during sex.

Meet the i.Con (seriously?), a penis ring that holds condoms in place, gathers information during the act, and then texts you or updates your app with all of the deets so you can (not) enjoy the afterglow.

It’s sort of like a Fitbit for your penis, and, honestly, it seems like a terrible idea. Frankly, one of the worst ideas I’ve heard in the last year, which is incredible because 2019 has been filled with disasters.

The i.Con’s nano-chips and sensors track your girth, velocity, calories burned, and so much more – it can even detect proteins or antigens associated with STIs (seems dubious to me…).

Everyone wants that text right after they finish enjoying themselves. Not.

If you’re some kind of masochist and dying to purchase this thing, you can preorder it for $73.58 (if you live outside the U.K. you’re going to need to ask someone to order it for you, though).

So. There you go.

Another technology win?

I guess you decide!

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Here Are 10 Banned Baby Names From Around the World

We all have that one friend who named their baby something ridiculous (not naming any names here, but yikes), but if you’re like me, you probably just shrug it off. After all, people have the right to name their baby what they’d like (as long as they’re saving an appropriate amount of cash for therapy).

Actually, we would be wrong, my friends, because there are some names that are genuinely off-limits – at least, depending where on you are.

Here are 10 that might (or might not) surprise you!

10. Ikea (Australia)

Image Credit: Pixabay

Australia’s rules on naming boil down to the name not being “obscene or offensive or contrary to the public interest,” nor can they be “established by repute or usage.”

The last bit prohibited an Aussie couple from naming their daughter Ikea (which you also can’t do in Sweden).

9. Messiah (USA)

The States have very lenient naming laws, with only some states legally preventing people from naming their children obscenities or numbers. However a judge did rule in 2013 that a Tennessee couple couldn’t name their baby “Messiah.”

8. @ (China)

Image Credit: Pixabay

You can’t name your kid after a computer keyboard symbol, says China, not even if you try to say it’s short for ai-ta (love him) in Chinese.

7. Nutella (France)

A French judge ruled that the name – chosen because they hoped their daughter would be sweet and popular – was “contrary to the child’s interest,” and would “only lead to mockery and disobliging remarks.”

She’s called Ella instead, at the insistence of the court.

6. . (New Zealand)

Image Credit: Pixabay

No, not even if you plan to call him “Full Stop.”

5. Robocop (Mexico)

Sonora, a northwestern states, keeps a long and ever-changing list of forbidden names in the hopes that their diligence might “protect children from being bullied because of their name.”

And because the names on the list come straight from recent registries of newborns, we can assume some poor kiddo out there is running around named after a fictional cyborg police officer.

Bless.

4. Monkey (Denmark)

Image Credit: Pixabay

Denmark has a list of 7000 approved baby names, and if you want to choose something that’s not on it, you’re required to seek approval before naming your kiddo.

Sadly for the Danish parents, Monkey doesn’t make the cut.

3. Talula Does The Hula From Hawaii (New Zealand)

I have to agree with the judge who, in 2008, ruled the ridiculous name was basically child abuse and removed the girl from her parents’ custody. At 9, she was going by an initial at school to avoid teasing.

2. Sarah (Morocco)

Image Credit: Pixabay

In Morocco, names must reflect the national identity, and Sarah with an ‘H’ is the Hebrew spelling of the name.

You can choose Sara, the Arabic spelling, no problem.

1. Cyanide (England)

The judge who ruled that the name was out of bounds noted that in England, the court would only step in “in only the most extreme circumstances.”

It sounds like a name for one of James Bonds’ girls

 

Weird, right?

I guess if you wanted to live by yourself on a homestead or in the Canadian tundra or somewhere you could do what you’d like – but I say, just choose a better name.

Sorry.

The post Here Are 10 Banned Baby Names From Around the World appeared first on UberFacts.

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Tom Hanks Reading Nice Tweets Aloud Might Make You Like Him Even More

There’s a lot of bad things going on in the world today, and it’s not often that the internet is someplace we can go to take a break from all of that – but today, it is!

Because Tom Hanks (in the spirit of Mr. Rogers, whom he recently played on the big screen) is reading some of the nicest tweets he could find.

Image Credit: Twitter

He sat down to do the thing with Twitter Movies, and each tweet he read had a sweet, quirky story to go along with it.

It began with a tweet from a former McDonald’s employee who regularly gave people 1 more chicken nugget than they asked for – a small but appreciated surprise.

Image Credit: Twitter

“That is a man who’s not only being nice, but he’s feeing the world a little bit better,” said Hanks. “And he’s bucking the corporate strategy. Bravo! That’s a nice thing to do!”

Here’s another one: it was from a person who shared a story from – of all places – dental school.

Image Credit: Twitter

“Told this guy who sits next to me in dental class about how I skip lunch just to get to class on time and the next day he pulls out a hot chicken shawarma out of his bag for me saying he doesn’t want me to be hungry is he in love with me yes or no.”

Twitter loved the video, already clamoring for more.

If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that Fred Rogers would have approved.

The post Tom Hanks Reading Nice Tweets Aloud Might Make You Like Him Even More appeared first on UberFacts.

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10 Facts About “Clue” the Movie

Clue is having a resurgence with a new movie and tie-in novels, and I, for one, am happy to see this cult classic return for new audiences and a new generation.

That said, even if you’ve loved it since you were a kid (*raises hand*) there are probably a few things you don’t know about the original.

And you’d be sorry if you missed these 10 facts.

10. The characters’ cars match their names.

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Last night we had dinner early, and watched the movie Clue. It is such an 80’s classic – 1985 even, halfway through, peak 80’s, – – My son had never seen the movie before, by our choice, because there is some annoying sexual content. He absolutely loved the surreal humour in Clue, and was, as predicted, annoyed by the sexism, but overall he really enjoyed it. It was fun to watch, I used to watch it all the time as a kid! “Let us in! Let us in!” – “Let us out! Let us out!” – – – We used up a bunch of leftovers and had a Frankenstein dinner, as usual about once a week. Son said that he’d never look at the board game, that he’s played for years, the same again! It was a fun night 💙 Also, yesterday I went 9 hours, pain free, which was great reason for us to celebrate! – – #familylife #avm #avmsurvivor #cluethemovie

A post shared by Erin Summers Rosen Norman (@rosequeen3_) on

If you’re super observant, you’ve probably already noticed that as the motorists are stranded at the beginning next to cars the same color as their names. Neat tidbit!

9. Carrie Fisher was the original Miss Scarlet.

She entered rehab the day filming was supposed to begin and was unable to work out a schedule that worked with her treatment schedule.

8. Lesley Ann Warren couldn’t sit down in her costume.

Miss Scarlet’s dress required boned corsets, which meant Warren had trouble sitting or really even moving. If you watch her on screen, you’ll notice her leaning on the sets instead of sitting – it makes you appreciate her acting ability even more!

7. Tim Curry was their third choice.

Curry’s iconic role as the butler almost wasn’t – Leonard Rossiter was the first choice (he died) followed by Rowan Atkinson.

6. Madeline Kahn improvised one of the film’s best-known scenes.

All that was written in the scene where Mrs. White talks about how she hates Yvette is “I hated her so much that I wanted to kill her,” so the famous riff involving the “flames on the side of my face” gem was all Madeline Kahn.

5. Colleen Camp really wanted the role of the Maid.

Everyone from Jennifer Jason Leigh to Madonna was interested, so Camp went the extra mile and showed up for her audition in costume.

4. You should recognize the Singing Telegram Girl.

She’s the guitarist for the Go-Gos – Jane Wiedlin – in her first film role.

3. The writers expanded Mrs. White’s role once Madeline Kahn was cast.

She was already a comedy legend, thanks to Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles, so they were smart enough not to waste her talents.

2. There was originally a 4th alternate ending.

The director claims he doesn’t remember what the 4th ending was, only that it wasn’t working no matter how they tweaked it, but it involved a scheme by Wadsworth to poison everyone.

1. The pacing was inspired by the success of His Girl Friday.

The director screened the film for the cast before they began shooting, hoping the rapid-fire dialogue would inform their own creative choices. The actors complied, doing their best to copy the clipped, quick delivery.

 

I just can’t wait to take in all things Clue!

What’s your favorite alternate ending? I know you have one!

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