Today's eclectic bundle of good news nuggets to help brighten everything up.
Good Advice
In the book Getting There: A Book of Mentors by Gillian Segal, legendary investor Warren Buffett recounted this story about holding your temper: "My good friend and hero, Tom Murphy, had an incredible generosity of spirit. He would do five things for you without thinking about whether you did something for him. After he was done with those five things, he'd be thinking about how to do the sixth. He was also an enormously able person in business and was kind of effortless about it. He didn't have to shout or scream or anything like that. He did everything in a very relaxed manner. Forty years ago, Tom gave me one of the best pieces of advice I've ever received. He said, "Warren, you can always tell someone to go to hell tomorrow." It's such an easy way of putting it. You haven't missed the opportunity. Just forget about it for a day. If you feel the same way tomorrow, tell them then -but don't spout off in a moment of anger."
Truly Mammoth
Miners in North Dakota have uncovered a whopping 7 ft long, 50 pound mammoth tusk that’s been buried for thousands of years. They found the fossilized specimen - which paleontologists estimate to be up to 100,000 years old - while excavating an old streambed. Miners are trained to keep an eye out for possible fossils and other historic artifacts while they work, writes the Washington Post. And, this time, that training paid off.
First to 4 Billion
The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights has become the first song to pass the 4 billion stream mark on Spotify, which equals about $22 million in royalties. While some services pay more than others and calculations vary widely, Spotify generally pays between $.003 and $.004 per stream. Want to enjoy a music video of the song? Click here
WFH Stat
Remote workers are 31 percent less likely to get promoted than in-person counterparts, The Wall Street Journal reports from an analysis of 2 million workers conducted by Live Data Technologies. CEOs haven't been shy about their preference for in-person work. Nearly 90% of chief executives surveyed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics said they were more likely to award raises or promotions to those who came into the office, WSJ notes.
Golden Mole
The De Winton's golden mole, last seen in 1937 on the north-western coast of South Africa, has been rediscovered by a team of conservationists and geneticists. The discovery, after 86 years, provides an opportunity to learn more about the species and reinvigorate conservation efforts for golden moles and other presumed extinct species.
Polish Woodlands
The Polish government has ordered the state-run company that manages the nation’s woodlands to “get saws out of Polish forests”, delivering on a campaign promise following October’s elections. “We have decided to stop logging in the most valuable forest areas. It’s time to get saws out of the Polish forests,” says the new climate minister. The measures affect 10 ancient woodlands, representing a small proportion of state-managed woodlands. Nevertheless, the minister said the decision is a first step towards further limiting logging in such woodlands.
Running Friends
Chris Farley's yearly streak of running a marathon or 26.2 miles on his own in under three hours is still going strong, thanks to the support of his friends. The 47-year-old thought he had broken his 20-year streak in November, when he finished the New York Marathon in just over three hours. His friends didn't want to see him end the year like this, and two pals who own Charm City Run in Baltimore offered to organize a race just for him. He spent the last weeks of 2023 training for the NCR Last Chance Marathon, and on 27 December, he hit the pavement. At the starting line, there were 20 Charm City staffers and other friends and family cheering him on, and "that completely turned me around from some doubt to kind of feeling I was going to be able to accomplish it," Farley told The Washington Post. "It was another data point of how awesome this running challenge is and what this community does for runners." Farley's streak is still in place, with the runner completing the marathon in 2 hours, 57 minutes and 35 seconds.
"England has 42 religions and only two sauces." Voltaire
On This Day
16 January 2006: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first woman to be elected head of state of an African country, was sworn in as president of Liberia.
Danish Monarchs
Meet Frederik and Mary, Denmark's very modern new king and queen. Royal couple...
Hyundai has unveiled a car that can park sideways. Yes please...
The Last Word: Witty first-person obituary composed entirely by her children. Sybil Hicks...
Mood Booster
Pink Panther: Gymnasium reum scene.
Comments