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EDITION #1305 This issue 5ยข
This is day 142 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

  • Albert Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel in 1952, but he declined.

  • Before toilet paper was invented, French royalty wiped their bottoms with fine linen.

  • A person infected with the SARS virus has a 95% - 98% chance of recovery.

View More...

Latest Posts

Thursday February 28, 2008

Visitors to the UK's Metropolitan Police recruitment website saw a cuddly monster on the weekend, after a hacker broke into the site.

The cheeky hackers broke into London's Metropolitan Police recruitment website, and posted a picture of a cuddly toy on its front page. Beneath the picture of the green stripy animal they added taunting comments. ...

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

  • Albert Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel in 1952, but he declined.

  • All babies are color blind when they are born.

Quips

The Senior Choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning, to join the Choir.

Filed Under: Church Notices


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

Filed Under: Signs


The Vicar is on vacation. Massages can be given to the Church Secretary.

Filed Under: Church Notices


Fun Book Titles

  • Falling from a Window
    - by Eileen Dowt

  • The Barber of Seville
    - by Aaron Floor

  • Neck Exercises
    - by G. Rarff

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

  • Peek-a-Boo!
    - by I. C. Hugh

View More: Book Titles

Good Question

  • If love is blind, why is Lingerie so popular?

  • How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?

  • Why isn't phonetic spelled the way it sounds?

Filed Under: Good Question

World Firsts

  • 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


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

    Tuesday February 8, 1898

  • Filed Under: → Business & Industry


  • The 1st solo England to Australia flight takes off piloted by Bert Hinkler.

    Tuesday February 7, 1928

  • Filed Under: → Travel Section


Events

  • 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


  • 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


  • 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


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

  • Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.
    - African Proverb

  • Listen or thy tongue will keep thee deaf.
    - American Indian Proverb

World Firsts

  • The Beatles land at New York's JFK airport, for their 1st United States tour.

    Friday February 7, 1964

  • Filed Under: → Entertainment


  • 1st meeting of the Provisional Congress of Confederate States of America.

    Wednesday February 6, 1861

  • Filed Under: → Politics


  • The first Guernsey Cattle Club organizes in New York City.

    Wednesday February 7, 1877

  • Filed Under: → Business & Industry


View More: → World Firsts

Wise Words

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

  • When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.
    - African Proverb

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

Filed Under: Wise Words

Good Question

  • Why are cigarettes sold at gas stations when smoking is prohibited there?

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

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

Filed Under: → Good Question