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EDITION #1305 This issue 5ยข
This is day 137 of 2026

The Largest Rodent Ever

Used News Wildlife

Friday September 19, 2003

The largest rodent ever was a giant guinea pig as big as a buffalo, which lived in South America eight million years ago, researchers say this week in the journal Science.

More than twice as heavy as the previous record holder, it was more than 10 times the size of today's largest living rodent, the South American Capybara. This giant rodent grazed on grasses, which it must have eaten in large ...

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Did You Know

  • Another name for a Microsoft Windows 98 tutorial was Crash Course!

  • About twenty-five percent of the population will sneeze when they are exposed to light.

  • During World War II, Uncle Bens was the exclusive supplier of rice to the U.S. Armed Forces.

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Latest Posts

Tuesday September 16, 2003

The people in a remote Italian village walled up their local Priest in the parish church to prevent him from leaving. Fr. Emilio Succhiella became a 'prisoner of love' after Capuchin Franciscans decided to withdraw from Trasacco, in the mountainous Abruzzo region near Rome, after 428 years of service.

Protesting villagers took the unusual step after they had unsuccessfully appealed to the Order ...

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Tuesday October 7, 2003

A German bar has come up with the perfect answer for women who like to shop in peace without the stress of moaning partners - a kindergarten for men. For a mere $11.80 a woman can dump her husband at the Noxbar in downtown Hamburg, while she can get on with her shopping.

The woman can shop till she drops in the city's attractive boutiques, while her man is kept fully occupied and amused at the ...

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  • An earthquake on December 16, 1811 caused parts of the Mississippi River to flow backwards.

  • About twenty-five percent of the population will sneeze when they are exposed to light.

  • During World War II, Uncle Bens was the exclusive supplier of rice to the U.S. Armed Forces.

Quips

This afternoon there will be a meeting in the South and North ends of the church. Children will be baptized at both ends.

Filed Under: Church Notices


The Minister unveiled the Church's new donations campaign on Sunday: "I upped my Pledge - Up Yours".

Filed Under: Church Notices


Sign seen at a Hair Salon: We curl up and dye for you.

Filed Under: Signs


Fun Book Titles

  • All Aboard!
    - by Abel Seamann

  • My Years in a Lunatic Asylum
    - by I. M. Nutty

  • Apologizing Made Simple
    - by Thayer Thorry

  • School Meals
    - by R. E. Volting

  • How to Feed Elephants
    - by P. Nutts

View More: Book Titles

Good Question

  • If there are 52 weeks in a year, how many weeks are there in a light year?

  • What will fall on the lawn first? An autumn leaf or a Christmas catalogue?

  • Why does an inspiring sight like a sunrise always have to take place at such an inconvenient time?

Filed Under: Good Question

World Firsts

  • Astronomical Society of Pacific holds its 1st meeting in San Francisco.

    Thursday February 7, 1889

  • Filed Under: → Science


  • The 1st successful United States educational magazine "Academician", starts publishing in New York City.

    Saturday February 7, 1818

  • Filed Under: → Education


  • "Stars & Stripes Weekly", the United States Armed Forces newspaper is first published.

    Friday February 8, 1918

  • Filed Under: → War


Events

  • The man known as the 'Crocodile Hunter' died after his chest was punctured by a stingray barb while diving off Australia's northeast coast. The 44 year-old colourful personality was filming a documentary about the Great Barrier Reef when tragedy struck.

    According to friend and colleague, John Stainton, Steve Irwin swam too close to the ray while he was diving off his boat "Croc One" near Batt Reef, northeast of Port Douglas.

    Monday September 4, 2006

  • Filed Under: → Deaths


  • Relatives of a 91-year-old Ohio woman who died this week are giving her the last word with a sassy, occasionally profane obituary that starts with the basics, "I was born. I lived. I died.", and instructs people to "Wait the appropriate amount of time" before trying to claim her stuff.

    They wrote it in Jean Oddi's perspective, recapping the people important to her, adventures she had and her favorite activities, including playing cards and teaching her granddaughter "dirty songs".

    Thursday February 23, 2017

  • Filed Under: → Deaths


  • A father and son in Alabama were killed when they crashed into each other in a head-on collision. Jeffrey Morris Brasher and his son Austin Blaine Brasher of Bankston, Alabama, died early Saturday morning.

    Jeffrey Brasher was driving a 2006 Ford pickup and his son was driving a 2004 Chevrolet truck when they collided on a highway head-on, said Alabama State Trooper Jonathon Appling.

    Saturday February 18, 2017

  • Filed Under: → Deaths


  • It takes a village to raise a child.
    - African Proverb

  • When the mouth stumbles, it is worse than the foot.
    - African Proverb

  • If you refuse to be made straight when you are wet, you will not be made straight when you are dry.
    - African Proverb

World Firsts

  • John Ames Sherman of Massachusetts, United States, patents the 1st envelope folding and gumming machine.

    Tuesday February 8, 1898

  • Filed Under: → Business & Industry


  • Richard Johnson is the 1st Vice President chosen by the United States Senate. It happened during the Van Buren administration.

    Wednesday February 8, 1837

  • Filed Under: → Politics


  • France recognizes the United States of America and signs a treaty of aid in Paris; it's the 1st U.S. treaty.

    Friday February 6, 1778

  • Filed Under: → War


View More: → World Firsts

Wise Words

  • When you have given nothing, ask for nothing.
    - Albanian Proverb

  • Not to know is bad, not to wish to know is worse.
    - African Proverb

  • If you refuse to be made straight when you are wet, you will not be made straight when you are dry.
    - African Proverb

Filed Under: Wise Words

Good Question

  • If fire fighters fight fire and crime fighters fight crime, what do freedom fighters fight?

  • Why is it that when you transport something by car, it's called a shipment but when you transport something by ship it's called cargo?

  • Why is it that at class reunions you feel younger than everyone else looks?

Filed Under: → Good Question