OGN Wednesday

Editor OGN Daily
Aug 13
3 min read

Mid-week collection of upbeat news stories from around the world.

Caleb Roesler carrying his wife over his shoulder through waist deep water — Credit: Hannu Keranen

Finnish Eccentricity

Finally, there’s a sport that lets men whose wives do most of the heavy lifting get a chance to shine. “Wife-carrying” is a Finnish “sport” thought to have originated with an 18th-century legend about a local thief who hoisted sacks of rye and women over his shoulders. Today’s wife-carrying competitions are much more consensual, and despite the name, you don’t even have to be a husband to carry someone across the finish line. The winner of this year’s world championships in Finland was, in fact, a husband: Caleb Roesler worked his way through a watery obstacle course that's roughly a quarter mile long carrying his wife, Justine, upside down over his shoulders like a human backpack. “Justine’s the secret weapon,” Roesler said, after winning his wife’s weight in beer.

First of Its Kind

Italy has agreed to a Vatican plan to build a solar farm on 1,000 acres near Rome, aiming to make Vatican City the world’s first carbon-neutral state, Reuters reports. The Santa Maria Galeria project will generate enough clean energy for the micronation while preserving the land’s agricultural use and minimizing environmental impact. This step marks a significant commitment by the Vatican toward sustainability and climate leadership. With an area of 49 hectares (121 acres) and a population of about 882 in 2024, it is the smallest sovereign state in the world both by area and by population.

Wonky yellow lines on a street in Old Hunstanton, Norfolk — "They must have been p----d"

Hilariously Wonky

Council contractors have been forced to repaint double yellow lines in an English seaside village because the first attempt was too wonky. Lines added in Old Hunstanton, Norfolk, just before the start of the summer holidays to stop visitors parking irresponsibly have been mocked by locals for their crooked appearance. Some lines have been painted across residents’ drives, while one appears to have painted over the section outside their property. One man out walking his pet said: “They must have been p----d when they painted them.”

End of an Era

AOL dial-up is ending on September 30th according to a statement posted on the company’s website. It marks the end of the service that was synonymous with the internet for many since its launch in 1991. You might be surprised that the service was still operating. At last count, a 2019 US census estimated that 265,000 people in the United States were still using dial-up internet.

Massachusetts beach and lighthouse — A Massachusetts beach

Best US State to Live

If you’re searching for a new place to call home, WalletHub’s latest report might help whittle down the options. To find the best of the best U.S. states to live in, the site’s experts analyzed 51 data-driven indicators of livability, including housing costs, health care, safety, income growth, and education quality. Massachusetts took the No. 1 spot, with top-ranked health care and education systems, the highest share of residents with health insurance, and the lowest premature death rate. The Bay State also boasts the nation’s third-lowest property crime rate and third-best access to public transportation. Rounding out the top five are Idaho, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Curious about your state? Here's the complete rankings.

Best City in The World For Quality of Life: A little known French city has been named the best city in the world for quality of life by the Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index.

New Packaging Policy

Oregon’s new Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act will hold companies that sell packaged products in the state financially responsible for helping the state collect and recycle the packaging. In addition to holding companies responsible for the lifecycle of their products, the new law aims to modernize the state’s recycling system, bring more uniform curbside recycling statewide, add drop-off sites and bins, and expand access. The RMA is the first in the U.S. to implement an Extended Producer Responsibility policy specifically on packaging, and other states are following its lead, including Minnesota and California.

“You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” Zig Ziglar