Did you know that Spielberg wanted to make a James Bond movie and was rejected? Or that Canada and Denmark have a sort of joint-custody agreement over an island? Much like chicken nuggets, or grapes if you are being more healthy, people love bite-sized bits of info.
So we’ve gathered some of the coolest and most interesting facts from the IG page with the same name. Get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own thoughts in the comments section down below.
More info: Instagram
#1
The Navajo, or Diné, believe that newborn babies first reside in the world of the Diyin Dine’e, the Holy People, before they can join their earthly families. The Diyin Dine’e are the first people, subjects of the most important myths and stories in Navajo culture. When a baby is first born, the Navajo believe the child lives among the Holy People until the first time the baby laughs. The act of laughing is a sign that the child is transitioning from the spirit world with the Diyin Dine’e and is ready to fully join his or her family in life.
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Because of the significance that a baby’s first laugh holds in Navajo tradition, family members watch, wait, and listen intently to hear that first utterance of a giggle. Parents, siblings, cousins, grandparents, and just about anyone close to the family will try their best to get that first laugh, from silly faces to tickles and everything in between. And finally, the first time a baby laughs, it’s time to celebrate the journey to their earthly family and welcome this new life into the community with a Navajo First Laugh Ceremony!
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Because of the significance that a baby’s first laugh holds in Navajo tradition, family members watch, wait, and listen intently to hear that first utterance of a giggle. Parents, siblings, cousins, grandparents, and just about anyone close to the family will try their best to get that first laugh, from silly faces to tickles and everything in between. And finally, the first time a baby laughs, it’s time to celebrate the journey to their earthly family and welcome this new life into the community with a Navajo First Laugh Ceremony!
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89points
#2
Billy Joel never sells tickets to the front rows of his concerts.
Aside from wanting to beat the scalpers, he got tired of all the bored, rich people staring up at him — so now, he sends his road crew out to bring down the fans from the worst seats so there’ll be "people in the front row that are happy to be there, real fans."
Aside from wanting to beat the scalpers, he got tired of all the bored, rich people staring up at him — so now, he sends his road crew out to bring down the fans from the worst seats so there’ll be "people in the front row that are happy to be there, real fans."
Said Joel:
We never sell front rows; we hold those tickets at just about every concert. For years, the scalpers got the tickets and would scalp the front row for ridiculous amounts of money. Our tickets are cheap, under $100, some are in the $80s, and the highest is about $150. I’d look down and see rich people sitting there, I call ’em “gold chains.” Sitting there puffing on a cigar, “Entertain me, piano man.” They don’t stand up, make noise, sit there with their bouffant-haired girlfriend lookin’ like a big shot. I kind of got sick of that. Who the hell are these people? Where are the real fans? It turns out the real fans were always in the back of the room in the worst seats."
We never sell front rows; we hold those tickets at just about every concert. For years, the scalpers got the tickets and would scalp the front row for ridiculous amounts of money. Our tickets are cheap, under $100, some are in the $80s, and the highest is about $150. I’d look down and see rich people sitting there, I call ’em “gold chains.” Sitting there puffing on a cigar, “Entertain me, piano man.” They don’t stand up, make noise, sit there with their bouffant-haired girlfriend lookin’ like a big shot. I kind of got sick of that. Who the hell are these people? Where are the real fans? It turns out the real fans were always in the back of the room in the worst seats."
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88points
#3
Recently, a multimillionaire businessman has been hit with one of the world’s highest speeding fines – €121,000 ($132,000) – for driving 30km/h (18.6mph) over the limit in Finland, where tickets are calculated as a percentage of the offender’s income.
“I really regret the matter,” Anders Wiklöf, 76, told Nya Åland, a newspaper for the Åland Islands, an autonomous Finnish region in the Baltic Sea. “I had just started slowing down, but I guess that didn’t happen fast enough. It’s how it goes.”
Wiklöf, the chairman and founder of a €350m-a-year holding company, said the speed limit changed “suddenly” from 70km/h to 50 when he was flashed at 82km/h.
As is common in the Nordic region, fines for traffic infringements in Finland are based on the severity of the offense and the offender’s income, which police can check instantly by connecting via their smartphones to a central taxpayer database.
Under the Finnish system, a “day fine” is calculated based on the offender’s daily disposable income, generally considered to be half their daily net income. The more a driver is over the limit, the greater the number of days' fines they receive.
The fact that Wiklöf had been fined twice previously for speeding was an aggravating factor. He also had his driving license suspended for 10 days.
“I really regret the matter,” Anders Wiklöf, 76, told Nya Åland, a newspaper for the Åland Islands, an autonomous Finnish region in the Baltic Sea. “I had just started slowing down, but I guess that didn’t happen fast enough. It’s how it goes.”
Wiklöf, the chairman and founder of a €350m-a-year holding company, said the speed limit changed “suddenly” from 70km/h to 50 when he was flashed at 82km/h.
As is common in the Nordic region, fines for traffic infringements in Finland are based on the severity of the offense and the offender’s income, which police can check instantly by connecting via their smartphones to a central taxpayer database.
Under the Finnish system, a “day fine” is calculated based on the offender’s daily disposable income, generally considered to be half their daily net income. The more a driver is over the limit, the greater the number of days' fines they receive.
The fact that Wiklöf had been fined twice previously for speeding was an aggravating factor. He also had his driving license suspended for 10 days.
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83points
#4
When doctors told Tracy Spraggins in 2013 that her lupus would take her life her if she didn't receive a kidney transplant, she was placed on a seven-year-long transplant waiting list. Her husband, PJ, knew seven years might be too long to wait and offered to donate his, but was told he needed to lose weight and normalize his blood pressure. He was so determined to save his wife's life that he began a yearlong diet and exercise routine.
PJ, who weighed 265 pounds at the start of 2013, began biking and eating less. He had constant check-ins with doctors at several different hospitals to measure his progress and blood pressure.
Finally, in December 2014, he was told by doctors at Vanderbilt Hospital that he was healthy enough to have the operation. The couple had the four-hour surgery together on February 24, 2014. The surgery went superbly.
PJ, who weighed 265 pounds at the start of 2013, began biking and eating less. He had constant check-ins with doctors at several different hospitals to measure his progress and blood pressure.
Finally, in December 2014, he was told by doctors at Vanderbilt Hospital that he was healthy enough to have the operation. The couple had the four-hour surgery together on February 24, 2014. The surgery went superbly.
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79points
#5
Because of a senior prank at a Montana high school, a principal had to tend to 12 horses for the day back in May 2022. It’s the law, said the Conrad Public Schools district in northern Montana. The district shared a picture on Facebook showing the 12 students on horseback outside Conrad High School. Those horses — at least for the day — were under the responsibility of school principal Raymond DeBruycker. “Montana has an old law saying if a student rides their horse to school, the school principal has to feed and tend to the horse throughout the day,” the school district said. “It looks like Mr. DeBruycker has his work cut out for him today.”
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73points
#6
Normally, she would have come and said hello to me. You can imagine my shock when I saw her lying in a box next to a baby. She is very placid and friendly, so when I heard her meowing, I thought that perhaps she had injured herself,” said Obninsk city resident Irina Lavrova.
Masha is a communal cat who is looked after by residents. When she found the baby — who appeared to be in great shape — she immediately took him to as if he were her own.
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🐈“Clearly her mothering instincts had taken over and she wanted to protect the child,” Lavrova explained. “He was well-dressed with a little hat, and whoever left him here had even left a few nappies and some baby food.”
The baby was immediately rushed to a local hospital, where he was given a checkup and declared fit and healthy. Since the child was found, Masha has been hailed as a hero by residents — and she’s been reaping the benefits.
Masha is a communal cat who is looked after by residents. When she found the baby — who appeared to be in great shape — she immediately took him to as if he were her own.
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🐈“Clearly her mothering instincts had taken over and she wanted to protect the child,” Lavrova explained. “He was well-dressed with a little hat, and whoever left him here had even left a few nappies and some baby food.”
The baby was immediately rushed to a local hospital, where he was given a checkup and declared fit and healthy. Since the child was found, Masha has been hailed as a hero by residents — and she’s been reaping the benefits.
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69points
#7
The UK government has unveiled a significant ban on boiling lobsters alive, a key component of a broader animal welfare initiative for England. This move comes on the heels of scientific consensus that decapod crustaceans—lobsters, crabs, and crayfish—are sentient, capable of feeling considerable pain.
Experts point out that these creatures can suffer for several minutes when plunged into boiling water while still aware. The new rules will mandate more humane methods. These include electrical stunning or chilling the animals in ice or cold air to render them insensible before cooking.
This ban is at the heart of a Labour government's sweeping measures against animal cruelty, touted as the most significant reform in a generation. The plan extends far beyond shellfish, encompassing the prohibition of caged farming for hens, the end of puppy farming, and a ban on trail hunting. Furthermore, it calls for tougher welfare regulations for fish raised on farms and a consultation regarding the use of electric shock collars on dogs. By following the lead of nations such as Switzerland and Norway, the UK seeks to bolster its standing as a global frontrunner in animal protection, ensuring that contemporary legal standards reflect the latest scientific insights into sentience.
Experts point out that these creatures can suffer for several minutes when plunged into boiling water while still aware. The new rules will mandate more humane methods. These include electrical stunning or chilling the animals in ice or cold air to render them insensible before cooking.
This ban is at the heart of a Labour government's sweeping measures against animal cruelty, touted as the most significant reform in a generation. The plan extends far beyond shellfish, encompassing the prohibition of caged farming for hens, the end of puppy farming, and a ban on trail hunting. Furthermore, it calls for tougher welfare regulations for fish raised on farms and a consultation regarding the use of electric shock collars on dogs. By following the lead of nations such as Switzerland and Norway, the UK seeks to bolster its standing as a global frontrunner in animal protection, ensuring that contemporary legal standards reflect the latest scientific insights into sentience.
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69points
#8
John Vaillant is an American-Canadian writer and journalist who wrote 'The Tiger', which is a true story about Vladimir Markov, a poacher who met a grisly end in the winter of 1997 after he shot and wounded a tiger, and then stole part of the tiger's prey.
The injured tiger hunted Markov down in a way that appeared to be chillingly premeditated. The tiger staked out Markov's cabin, systematically destroyed anything that had Markov's scent on it, and then waited by the front door for Markov to come home.
"This wasn't an impulsive response," Vaillant says. "The tiger was able to hold this idea for some time. The animal waited for 12 to 48 hours before attacking. When Markov finally appeared, the tiger attacked him, dragged him into the bush, and ate him. The eating may have been secondary," Vaillant explains. "I think he ended him because he had a bone to pick.
What's so fascinating to me about that region is that human beings and tigers are hunting for the same prey in the same territory — and they don't have conflicts." But if you make the mistake of attacking a tiger, you will regret it, he says.
The injured tiger hunted Markov down in a way that appeared to be chillingly premeditated. The tiger staked out Markov's cabin, systematically destroyed anything that had Markov's scent on it, and then waited by the front door for Markov to come home.
"This wasn't an impulsive response," Vaillant says. "The tiger was able to hold this idea for some time. The animal waited for 12 to 48 hours before attacking. When Markov finally appeared, the tiger attacked him, dragged him into the bush, and ate him. The eating may have been secondary," Vaillant explains. "I think he ended him because he had a bone to pick.
What's so fascinating to me about that region is that human beings and tigers are hunting for the same prey in the same territory — and they don't have conflicts." But if you make the mistake of attacking a tiger, you will regret it, he says.
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68points
#9
Enya, the Irish singer known for "Orinoco Flow," leads a notably private and reclusive life. She resides in Manderley Castle, a Victorian-style mansion in Killiney, County Dublin, Ireland, which she purchased in 1997 for €3.8 million. Despite her immense success, having sold over 75 million albums, Enya largely shuns public appearances, rarely tours, and avoids most interviews. She lives alone with her cats, valuing her privacy above all else. Her family members have even described her as living "like a queen" and being a recluse. Enya has stated that music is her first love and she has no plans to marry, finding long-term relationships difficult due to her devotion to her art.
The castle itself, formerly known as Victoria Castle and Ayesha Castle, has been heavily fortified by Enya due to past security breaches involving stalkers. She has installed new solid timber entrance gates, raised the surrounding stone walls to over 2.7 meters (9 ft), and added 1.2-meter (4 ft) railings. The property also features a panic room for her safety. From the castle's crenellated turret, views of the Irish Sea are visible, and the grounds encompass 14,000 m² (3.5 acres) of gardens. This secluded and heavily secured residence allows Enya to maintain her private lifestyle, dedicating herself to her music.
The castle itself, formerly known as Victoria Castle and Ayesha Castle, has been heavily fortified by Enya due to past security breaches involving stalkers. She has installed new solid timber entrance gates, raised the surrounding stone walls to over 2.7 meters (9 ft), and added 1.2-meter (4 ft) railings. The property also features a panic room for her safety. From the castle's crenellated turret, views of the Irish Sea are visible, and the grounds encompass 14,000 m² (3.5 acres) of gardens. This secluded and heavily secured residence allows Enya to maintain her private lifestyle, dedicating herself to her music.
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68points
#10
The kids that voiced Bluey and Bingo aren't credited on the show as their identities are kept secret to shield them from the public eye.
Unlike most animated series where voice actors become household names, Bluey takes an extraordinary approach to protect its young performers. Creator Joe Brumm revealed that "Bluey, Bingo and some of their friends are voiced by children of the production crew," but their names will never appear in the credits.
This intentional anonymity was designed from the beginning, even before anyone knew Bluey would become a global phenomenon. The children aren't professional voice actors—they're simply the kids of people working on the show who bring authentic, natural performances to their characters.
Melanie Zanetti, who voices Chilli, praised this decision: "I think that was so clever and I'm so happy that, not knowing how big the show would be, they had the foresight to do it. In the long term, I think that protecting young people is so important in this industry."
The approach ensures these children can enjoy normal childhoods away from the spotlight, even as their voices bring joy to millions of families worldwide. You won't find them at award shows, on social media, or doing interviews—and that's exactly how the creators want it.
This unique protection has allowed the show to maintain its authentic feel while keeping the magic alive for both the characters and the real children behind them.
Unlike most animated series where voice actors become household names, Bluey takes an extraordinary approach to protect its young performers. Creator Joe Brumm revealed that "Bluey, Bingo and some of their friends are voiced by children of the production crew," but their names will never appear in the credits.
This intentional anonymity was designed from the beginning, even before anyone knew Bluey would become a global phenomenon. The children aren't professional voice actors—they're simply the kids of people working on the show who bring authentic, natural performances to their characters.
Melanie Zanetti, who voices Chilli, praised this decision: "I think that was so clever and I'm so happy that, not knowing how big the show would be, they had the foresight to do it. In the long term, I think that protecting young people is so important in this industry."
The approach ensures these children can enjoy normal childhoods away from the spotlight, even as their voices bring joy to millions of families worldwide. You won't find them at award shows, on social media, or doing interviews—and that's exactly how the creators want it.
This unique protection has allowed the show to maintain its authentic feel while keeping the magic alive for both the characters and the real children behind them.
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62points
#11
The Whisky War, also known as the Liquor Wars, was a bloodless war and border dispute between the Kingdom of Denmark and Canada over Hans Island. Between 1973 and 2022, the island was under dispute between the two nations, although never amounting to direct conflict or violence.
Both countries agreed on a process in 2005 to resolve the issue, which was finally settled in 2022, resulting in the creation of a land border on the island between the two states.
Both countries agreed on a process in 2005 to resolve the issue, which was finally settled in 2022, resulting in the creation of a land border on the island between the two states.
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61points
#12
Apparently, a particular scene filmed for The Mandalorian Season 1's closing episodes required more Stormtrooper costumes than the crew had on hand. As such, series creator Jon Favreau and Lucasfilm's Dave Filoni reached out to a local chapter of the 501st Legion. The 501st Legion is a fan-based Star Wars organization dedicated to building and wearing screen-accurate costumes of Imperial Stormtroopers, among other villains from the franchise.
The 501st Legion was formed back in 1997 in South Carolina. The fan group now has over 13,000 active members worldwide. While the group is not officially affiliated with Lucasfilm or Disney, members frequently make in-costume appearances at promotional functions or charity events, usually at the request of Lucasfilm's Fan Events division.
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60points
#13
Though Spielberg at first thought the name Indiana Jones sounded too hokey, six months later the two began to come up with the idea for the intrepid archeologist as they pitted him against nothing less than an entire army of Nazis in his quest to find something that would seem to validate the very existence of mankind in some crucial way, the Ark of the Covenant.
Strangely enough, it was Tom Selleck who was selected for the lead role at first. Unfortunately, he had to bow out thanks to his previous deal with another show titled 'Magnum P.I.' So instead the duo went for Harrison Ford, whose popularity had already been soaring at that time thanks to his involvement in Lucas hit movie 'Star Wars.' Ford brought a worldly manner to the lead role that was spot on and managed to capture the essence of Jones in a way that couldn’t possibly have been done any better by anyone other.
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57points
#14
A tourist looking to mail an envelope to a farm in the village of Búðardalur in western Iceland didn’t know the proper postal address, so instead, the visitor just sketched the location. The outside of the letter included pertinent details like the town name, descriptions like “a horse farm with an Icelandic/Danish couple and 3 kids and a lot of sheep,” and the fact that “the Danish woman works in a supermarket in Búðardalur." The envelope mapped out local highway routes and bodies of water around the farm. It also included a hefty "Takk fyrir!," Icelandic for “thank you.”
The letter departed from Reykjavik, and by the grace of very patient Icelandic postal workers, did end up at its intended destination, the Hólar farm and petting zoo. It must be quite the place to earn such dedication from its visitors.
The letter departed from Reykjavik, and by the grace of very patient Icelandic postal workers, did end up at its intended destination, the Hólar farm and petting zoo. It must be quite the place to earn such dedication from its visitors.
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56points
#15
In the 1630s, Gregorio Allegri composed "Miserere mei, Deus," a sublime nine-part choral setting of Psalm 51 for the Pope's Sistine Chapel. Performed exclusively during Holy Week Tenebrae, the Vatican guarded its score for nearly 140 years to preserve its unique impact, forbidding transcription under threat of excommunication. Secret, unwritten vocal ornamentations (abbellimenti) used by the papal choir, not in the simplified official copies, were crucial to the work's ethereal beauty, ensuring any external performance lacked the true Sistine Chapel magic. The composition became legendary due to its carefully maintained exclusivity and unique performance traditions.
This meticulously protected secrecy was famously shattered in 1770 by 14-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Visiting Rome with his father, he heard the "Miserere" at a Holy Wednesday service. Possessing an extraordinary musical memory, Mozart transcribed the entire complex piece from memory after that single hearing. Accounts suggest he attended a second performance for minor corrections. News of this incredible feat reached Pope Clement XIV.
Instead of punishing the young composer, the Pope, astounded by Mozart's genius, summoned him, showered him with praise, and awarded him the Golden Spur. Music historian Dr. Charles Burney published Mozart's transcription in London in 1771. This act effectively ended the Vatican's exclusive hold, making Allegri's "Miserere" accessible to the wider world and marking young Mozart as perhaps one of history's first, and most celebrated, "music pirates."
This meticulously protected secrecy was famously shattered in 1770 by 14-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Visiting Rome with his father, he heard the "Miserere" at a Holy Wednesday service. Possessing an extraordinary musical memory, Mozart transcribed the entire complex piece from memory after that single hearing. Accounts suggest he attended a second performance for minor corrections. News of this incredible feat reached Pope Clement XIV.
Instead of punishing the young composer, the Pope, astounded by Mozart's genius, summoned him, showered him with praise, and awarded him the Golden Spur. Music historian Dr. Charles Burney published Mozart's transcription in London in 1771. This act effectively ended the Vatican's exclusive hold, making Allegri's "Miserere" accessible to the wider world and marking young Mozart as perhaps one of history's first, and most celebrated, "music pirates."
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52points
#16
The frequent diner purchased the first-class, fully refundable ticket aboard Eastern China Airlines and then re-booked his ticket over and over again to have free meals.
He used the ticket to gain access to the Xi'an International Airport's VIP lounge, where high-rolling travelers dine for free, according to a report in the Chinese-language newspaper Kwong Wah Yit Poh in Malaysia.
The man flashed his ticket to the lounge staff at the Shaanxi province airport before his trip, ate a meal just like any first-class traveler, and instead of getting on the flight, he changed his flight's departure to another day.
The next day he would show up with his newly issued ticket for the revised date, eat, and then again change his ticket date. He did this over and over again, more than 300 times.
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Eastern China Airlines officials suddenly woke up and figured out the scam. Airline officials admitted that legal action was not possible as it was not against the rules, the New York Daily News reported.
Eastern China Airlines officials confronted him and banned him from continuing this practice. After all this, he ended up cashing in his fully refundable ticket and got back all his money.
He used the ticket to gain access to the Xi'an International Airport's VIP lounge, where high-rolling travelers dine for free, according to a report in the Chinese-language newspaper Kwong Wah Yit Poh in Malaysia.
The man flashed his ticket to the lounge staff at the Shaanxi province airport before his trip, ate a meal just like any first-class traveler, and instead of getting on the flight, he changed his flight's departure to another day.
The next day he would show up with his newly issued ticket for the revised date, eat, and then again change his ticket date. He did this over and over again, more than 300 times.
_____
Eastern China Airlines officials suddenly woke up and figured out the scam. Airline officials admitted that legal action was not possible as it was not against the rules, the New York Daily News reported.
Eastern China Airlines officials confronted him and banned him from continuing this practice. After all this, he ended up cashing in his fully refundable ticket and got back all his money.
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51points
#17
Seahorses dance with their partners every morning to strengthen the bond between them.
Bonded seahorse pairs perform an elegant greeting dance each morning, mirroring each other's movements as their bodies change color and they intertwine tails while pirouetting and promenading together. This daily ritual lasts several minutes before they separate for the rest of the day.
The morning dance serves multiple purposes: it confirms both partners are still alive, reinforces their pair bond, and synchronizes their reproductive cycles—crucial when the male is the one who becomes pregnant and carries the eggs.
Project Seahorse was the first to discover this behavior in White's seahorses from southeastern Australia. Researchers describe it as an underwater ballet where the couples maintain perfect posture, hold their heads high, and conduct themselves with great dignity like ballroom dancers.
Bonded seahorse pairs perform an elegant greeting dance each morning, mirroring each other's movements as their bodies change color and they intertwine tails while pirouetting and promenading together. This daily ritual lasts several minutes before they separate for the rest of the day.
The morning dance serves multiple purposes: it confirms both partners are still alive, reinforces their pair bond, and synchronizes their reproductive cycles—crucial when the male is the one who becomes pregnant and carries the eggs.
Project Seahorse was the first to discover this behavior in White's seahorses from southeastern Australia. Researchers describe it as an underwater ballet where the couples maintain perfect posture, hold their heads high, and conduct themselves with great dignity like ballroom dancers.
"Watching seahorses connect is like witnessing a love story unfold in the wild. Their devotion to one another, their synchronized dance, and the way they stick with each other through every stage of life is truly moving," said Prof. Amanda Vincent, Co-founder of Project Seahorse.
The ritual continues even through pregnancy, ensuring perfect synchronization between partners for the next mating. Most seahorse species studied in the wild form monogamous pair bonds during breeding season and stay loyal to a single partner—making them true ocean power couples.
"Watching seahorses connect is like witnessing a love story unfold in the wild. Their devotion to one another, their synchronized dance, and the way they stick with each other through every stage of life is truly moving," said Prof. Amanda Vincent, Co-founder of Project Seahorse.
The ritual continues even through pregnancy, ensuring perfect synchronization between partners for the next mating. Most seahorse species studied in the wild form monogamous pair bonds during breeding season and stay loyal to a single partner—making them true ocean power couples.
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50points
#18
In 2010, a man stranded in the bush in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, was rescued after chopping down four power poles — knocking out electricity to surrounding communities.
The incident left several hundred people in Wollaston Lake and Hatchet Lake Denesuline Nation without power for more than 30 hours, but it paved the way for a man to be saved by a SaskPower crew.
"He was found under his boat in a very distressed state, so essentially he was stranded for several days, and just desperate for people to know where he was," SaskPower spokesman James Parker said.
The man reported he had been on a boat on the lake when he hit bad weather. He ended up stranded in the bush, with no way to communicate with the outside world, Parker said.
But he had an axe, and he knew SaskPower would have to check the downed line, so he went to work.
"Essentially, it was mission accomplished because we got the call, we chartered a helicopter … and on Friday, around noon, we discovered him," Parker said.
The incident left several hundred people in Wollaston Lake and Hatchet Lake Denesuline Nation without power for more than 30 hours, but it paved the way for a man to be saved by a SaskPower crew.
"He was found under his boat in a very distressed state, so essentially he was stranded for several days, and just desperate for people to know where he was," SaskPower spokesman James Parker said.
The man reported he had been on a boat on the lake when he hit bad weather. He ended up stranded in the bush, with no way to communicate with the outside world, Parker said.
But he had an axe, and he knew SaskPower would have to check the downed line, so he went to work.
"Essentially, it was mission accomplished because we got the call, we chartered a helicopter … and on Friday, around noon, we discovered him," Parker said.
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49points
#19
North Dakotans are used to pharmacists like Schlecht and to having pharmacies in small towns like Forman. In North Dakota, there are no Walgreens or Walmart pharmacies. Instead, North Dakotans get their medications from the 171 independent and locally-owned pharmacies throughout the state. This is no accident: It’s the result of a forward-thinking policy choice, the Pharmacy Ownership Law, that, since 1963, has given North Dakotans pharmacy care that outperforms care in other states on every key measure, from cost to access.
In North Dakota, prescription drug prices are more affordable than in two-thirds of all states. Pharmacies are more plentiful, with more per capita than in neighboring South Dakota, Minnesota, or nationally, and they’re more broadly distributed; North Dakota’s rural areas are 51 percent more likely to contain a pharmacy than similarly-populated areas of South Dakota. And in general, independent pharmacies provide higher quality care, studies and surveys of customer satisfaction find.
North Dakota reaps economic benefits, too, from this local ownership. Without the Pharmacy Ownership Law, a 2014 report from ILSR estimated, about 70 of North Dakota’s independent pharmacies would close. Chain pharmacies headquartered around the country and out-of-state mail order companies would fill the gap, and ILSR estimates that direct economic losses to the state’s economy would be at least $17 million, and as high as $29 million, without accounting for indirect impacts such as lost tax revenue.
Instead of focusing on corporate profits, North Dakota’s policy prioritizes health care, and the state’s residents are the ones who benefit.
In North Dakota, prescription drug prices are more affordable than in two-thirds of all states. Pharmacies are more plentiful, with more per capita than in neighboring South Dakota, Minnesota, or nationally, and they’re more broadly distributed; North Dakota’s rural areas are 51 percent more likely to contain a pharmacy than similarly-populated areas of South Dakota. And in general, independent pharmacies provide higher quality care, studies and surveys of customer satisfaction find.
North Dakota reaps economic benefits, too, from this local ownership. Without the Pharmacy Ownership Law, a 2014 report from ILSR estimated, about 70 of North Dakota’s independent pharmacies would close. Chain pharmacies headquartered around the country and out-of-state mail order companies would fill the gap, and ILSR estimates that direct economic losses to the state’s economy would be at least $17 million, and as high as $29 million, without accounting for indirect impacts such as lost tax revenue.
Instead of focusing on corporate profits, North Dakota’s policy prioritizes health care, and the state’s residents are the ones who benefit.
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47points
#20
As well as initiating contact, much of the time, studies have shown that cats will remember the kindness shown to them and return the favor later.
But cats really do have the upper hand in these relationships. After thousands of years of domestication, cats have learned how to make a half-purr/half-howl noise that sounds remarkably like a human baby’s cry. And since our brains are programmed to respond to our children’s distress, it is almost impossible to ignore what a cat wants when it demands it like that.
But cats really do have the upper hand in these relationships. After thousands of years of domestication, cats have learned how to make a half-purr/half-howl noise that sounds remarkably like a human baby’s cry. And since our brains are programmed to respond to our children’s distress, it is almost impossible to ignore what a cat wants when it demands it like that.
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47points