Magic Mud

 What do the Delaware River and major league baseball have in common? Mud is the answer, a very special mud that is just the right combination of clay and sand with a consistency similar to cold cream or pudding. For the last 80 years said mud has been rubbed on the baseballs before every game, it helps take the shine of the slick leather on the ball and give fielders a better grip. Recently scientists tried to figure out why it worked and if they could make something better and so far they've came up empty. Good, why look to make something when a simple organic solution already exists? 

The Chicken Coop

 A new Guinness record has been awarded for a hotel in the Philippines that has 15 air conditioned rooms, stands 114 feet and 7 inches high and did I mention it looks like a rooster? So does the rooster's 2 feet add to the 114 feet or are they included in that measurement? and how do the guests get to their rooms? are there windows? These are questions I didn't find answers to though the reasoning makes sense, the rooster is a nod to the local culture of cockfighting which employs millions of people and reflects the attitude of the people. 

Survival of the Loudest

 The top three loudest animals are loud to help them survive in their various environments. The loudest of the loud is the blue whale at 188 decibels which is enough to rupture a human eardrum if heard up close, but serves as an essential communication device allowing the whales to pass important information hundred of miles to other whales. Next loudest is the tiger pistol shrimp with 200 decibels which it uses both to stun prey and as a defense, the snap of its claw is loud enough to break glass. Coming in third loudest is the howler monkey at 140 decibels and is used to communicate and warn other animals away from their territory. Suddenly your noisy neighbors don't seem as noisy. 

Words of Love

 I don't remember last time I did some quotes so it must be time! 

"The quickest way to a man's heart is through his chest." Roseanne Barr 

"Love is a merry little elf dancing a merry little jig, and then suddenly he turns on you with a miniature machine gun." Matt Groening 

"Before I met my husband I'd never fallen in love, though I had stepped in it a few times." Rita Rudner 

"I urge you all to love yourselves without reservation, and to love each other without restraints. Unless you're into leather. Then, by all means, use restraints." Margaret Cho 

"What is love? An extension of like. What is lust? An extension." Rodney Dangerfield 

Puzzling

Are you a puzzle person? If so this might be your lucky day of course there are many types of puzzles out there for your enjoyment so if these two aren't your thing go grab a crossword puzzle or whatever kind floats your boat. Spot 10 tools inside of the shed in the first puzzle then 5 differences in the second picture. Good luck! 

 

The Embers

For some reason the last 4 months of the year were never renamed when the calendar was changed from the old Roman one to the present one so the last months are 7,8,9,10 instead of 9,10,11,12 but who knows? Maybe they will get an update in the future, but what about the months ending in ember?  Oddly enough that includes October even though it doesn't end in ember but the thought was the last 4 months represent the ending of the year, like an ember from a fire. 

11/1 Extra Mile Day 

11/2 Pumpkin Destruction Day 

11/3 Zero Tasking Day 

11/4 National Chicken Lady Day 

11/5 Firewood Day 

11/6 Saxophone Day 

11/7 Stout Day 

11/8 Abet and Aid Punsters Day 

11/9 World Freedom Day 

11/10 Area Code Day 

11/11 Origami Day 

11/12 National French Dip Day 

11/13 World Kindness Day 

11/14 National Pickle Day 

11/15 America Recycles Day 

11/16 National Button Day 

11/17 Homemade Bread Day 

11/18 National Apple Cider Day 

11/19 Have a Bad Day Day 

11/20 Name Your PC Day 

11/21 Use Less Stuff Day 

11/22 Humane Society Day 

11/23 National Adoption Day 

11/24 D.B. Cooper Day 

11/25 Orange Day (Violence Against Women)

11/26 National Milk Day 

11/27 Slinky Day 

11/28 Red Planet Day 

11/29 Buy Nothing Day 

11/30 National Mason Jar Day 

Spookiest States

Here we are at last All Hallows Eve, the day before All Hallows Day or Saint's Day, a day that honors the saints who made it to heaven or were hallowed. With that info in mind let's take a look at the most haunted states in the US including those in the top 10, along with the top 10 states that will give you the creeps, some of these are surprising.