California residents received a rude awakening when State Farm (insurance company) announced in late May that it would no longer accept new applications for homeowners’ insurance policies in the state. (A result of the wildfire season.) [Morning Consult 7/10/23]
Once pilot whales, which can grow up to 24 feet in length and weigh up to 6,600 pounds, are out of the water, their organs can gradually be crushed under their own weight. [NYT 7/28/2023]
Mexico exports more beer to the United States than any other country by far. In 2022, it shipped in seven times the volume of the second-highest source of U.S. imports, the Netherlands. [NYT 7/28/2023]
The average American eats 20 pounds of ice cream each year, which works out to more than 10 scoops a month. [NYT 7/30/23]
More companies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the first half of this year than in any year since 2010 according to S&P Global. [NYT 8/6/23]
Last year, the original art for a comic book page featuring Spider-Man in his black costume sold for $3.36 million at Heritage Auctions. [NYT 8/6/23]
32% of Americans have a tattoo, and 22% have more than one. Women, Black Americans, and younger adults are among the most likely to have tattoos.
- 38% of women have at least one tattoo compared with 27% of men.
- 69% of Americans with tattoos do it to remember or honor someone.
- 24% of tattooed Americans say they regret their tattoos.
- 2 in 10 adults under 30 who don’t have a tattoo are likely to get one in the future.
For Americans without tattoos, seeing one on someone else gives them a more negative than a positive impression of that person.
8 in 10 Americans say society has become more accepting of people with tattoos. [PEW 8/15/23]
Forty million Americans have stopped attending church in the past 25 years. [Atlantic 7/29/23]
The crown sitting on the Notorious B.I.G.’s head in the now famous “King of New York” photo taken a few days before his death in 1997 was made of plastic and cost about $6. In 2020 it sold at auction for nearly $600,000. [NYT 8/13/23] [Notorious B.I.G is a famous rapper.]
An Englishman, taking a road trip through the US, notices he is low on fuel and pulls into the first gas station he sees.
Attendant walks out and approaches the car.
“How can I help you, sir?”
The man says, “I’m low on petrol, please top off the tank.”
With an odd look, the guy begins to fill it up.
The Englishman says, “Could you open the bonnet and check the oil?
“Oh yes”, says the attendant.
The Brit says, “It appears my windscreen needs a good cleaning, would you mind terribly.”
Unable to hold his tongue any more the attendant angrily snaps, “Alright that’s enough! It’s not petrol, its gasoline, it’s not a bonnet, it’s a hood. And it’s not a windscreen, it’s a windshield. We invented cars, so you call them by their American names!”
The Englishman calmly replies, “Well yes, my friend, you may have invented the automobile, but we invented the language!”
The following was created by Gerry Kauvar
Georgia – The IM-PEACH STATE
I’ve got Georgia on my mind,
How many votes can you find?
The Devil Went to Georgia
(And messed with the voting machines)
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia: November 2020
Midnight Train to Georgia: Where the stolen votes were.
The Moon Over Georgia: Trump call: The Loon Over
Georgia
Ramblin’ Man: Mark Meadows