Sunny Saturday News
- Apr 18
- 4 min read
Ensuring the weekend gets off to a bright start with today's global collection of good news nuggets.
Dolly Tops Poll
New survey reveals that Dolly Parton tops list of global figures in US favorability poll. The 11-time Grammy winner had a net favorability of 65 percent, Obama came second with 14 percent, while Zelenskyy had 12 percent. For the US public, the feeling that Dolly Parton expressed in her country music chart-topping 1974 classic I Will Always Love You is clearly mutual. A poll of Americans’ opinions about more than 20 international luminaries established as much, with the 11-time Grammy winner and philanthropist leaving her two closest competitors - Barack Obama and Volodymyr Zelenskyy - in the dust. The survey was conducted by the University of Massachusetts and the market research firm YouGov with 70 percent of respondents having a favorable impression of Parton, an 11-time Grammy winner. Only 5 percent had an unfavorable impression of her, giving her a net favorability of 65 percent.
470 Years Unchanged
If you ever thought school uniforms were boring, Christ’s Hospital in Horsham, England would like a word. Tucked away in the countryside on the south coast sits one of the most visually striking schools in the world - Christ's Hospital - where students don’t just “wear a uniform”… they wear history. The uniform consists of a long blue coat, belted at the waist, worn with matching knee breeches, yellow socks and white neck bands. The girls wear the same coat, but with a matching skirt. The uniform has remained virtually unchanged for over 470 years, making it one of the oldest school uniforms in the world.
Catzilla
Passengers landing at Hong Kong International Airport this month will be greeted by a surprise friend waiting for them in the arrivals hall - a giant fluffy orange cat sleeping right in the middle of the bustling space. The interactive installation, called A Moment to Purr, popped up as part of the airport's Easter celebrations and will be around until early May. Passengers can also interact with the feline affectionately known as "Catzilla" via a dedicated kiosk near its resting spot, where people can "feed" and "groom" it and then observe ear and tail movement in response to the attention.
Cats Proving They Can Sit Anywhere: Try not to laugh! Photos of some cats (oh, and a raccoon) that won't take no for an answer when choosing their personal chill out spots.
Refreshing Stat
85 percent of Girl Scouts say they look up to people for what they can do - not for how they look, according to new data from Girl Scouts of the USA. “That statistic is an invitation for adults to take a deep breath and ditch the pressure to be perfect,” says Sarah Keating, the organization’s vice president of girl and volunteer experience. The findings were based on a survey conducted last year of 1,000 girls between the ages of 5 and 13. Keating added: “Girls are reminding us that what lasts - and what earns real admiration - is character in action: how you show up, what you try, how you treat people, and the difference you make.” She noted that the more adults “put the focus on effort, learning, and contribution” instead of appearance, the more we empower young people to do the same.
Economy Skynest Pods
Air New Zealand has announced its new Economy Skynest pods, which will debut on new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft this November for select flights between New York and Auckland - a more than 17 hour flight. The concept gives travelers an opportunity to enjoy lie-flat rest without booking a premium cabin seat. The plane will feature six lie-flat pods in a bunk-style layout, located between the Economy and Premium Economy cabins, giving customers the ability to stretch out, lie flat and get proper rest in the air. The pods will be available in four-hour sessions, with two sessions per flight available initially, at a cost of $495 per session. The airline says that each Skynest pod provides a quiet, private space complete with a full-length mattress, bedding, personal comfort controls, ambient lighting, ventilation, charging ports and a privacy curtain.
Royal Dead Fly Test
Prospective housekeepers for Britain's royal family have to pass a so-called dead fly test. Yes, you read that right! As Tracey Waterman, head of staff recruitment for the British royal family, revealed in Channel 5’s documentary Sandringham: The Royals at Christmas, she or one of her staff hides a dead fly in the fireplace or on the carpet of a royal room before welcoming every potential new employee. “Once the dead fly is placed, I then bring the candidate into the room. I lead them into the room quite slowly, just giving them a chance to glance at the room, have a little look at what we’ve got inside the room. Bringing them to the fireplace, maybe highlighting that we’ve got a beautiful fireplace,” Waterman says in the doc. “At this point, I’d expect them to see the dead fly and hopefully pick it up.” If the new housekeeper fails to notice the fly (or just leaves it on the carpet), well, that’s pretty much it.
“I drink a cup of sunlight every morning to brighten myself.” Debasish Mridha
On This Day
18 April 1593: William Shakespeare's poem Venus and Adonis is registered for publication, becoming his first work to be printed and his most famous work during his lifetime. The erotic, Ovidian narrative poem was a major success, surpassing his plays in popularity with six editions published during his life and 16 by 1640.
Today's Articles
No Sauna? No Problem: Researchers have discovered that soaking in a hot bath is even more beneficial than a sauna.
Mood Boosting Video
Time For a Chuckle? 5 famous funny car commercials.
