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Truth, we all know, can be a fluid thing. Like a rubber band that stretches and twists to fit the shape of the situation. One moment it’s strong and unbreakable, the next it’s been warped beyond all recognition. For example, what’s really in an egg? And by egg we mean a sentient one, really big, sitting on a wall, having a chat. Once upon a time, in a kingdom maybe not so far away, there was a character named Humpty Dumpty. He was a rotund and jovial fellow, known for his love of eggnog and singing cryptic nursery rhymes. As the story goes: It’s a classic, beloved nursery rhyme made truly famous in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass (1871) in which Humpty appears as a fussily exacting egg-head who corrects Alice’s grammar and discusses the value and meaning of words. (More about this later) The rhyme first appeared in Samuel Arnold’s Juvenile Amusement, published in 1797, though the third line was slightly different – “Four-score men and four-score more”. Generations have grown up with this story. Yet, things aren’t necessarily as they seem. By all historical accounts, Humpty wasn’t actually an egg. In fact, the rhyme never even references an egg. According to some historians, Humpty Dumpty was the name of a cannon used by the Royalists during the English Civil War (1642-1649). Humpty (the cannon) was stationed on the walls of Colchester. The walls were heavily damaged by artillery fire and, yes, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall and broke into pieces. Others speculate that Humpty Dumpty referred to Richard III of England, who was depicted as humpbacked and brittle, he is likened to an egg. His subsequent defeat in battle despite his large army (all the King's men and all the King's horses) made some believe that the rhyme originated from this historical occurrence. So that’s it then, right? Perhaps not. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, in the 17th century, the term "humpty dumpty" referred to a drink of brandy boiled with ale. “Humpty Dumpty" was also eighteenth-century slang for a short and clumsy person. Humpty Dumpty was popularized in the United States on Broadway before the publication of Through The Looking Glass by actor George L. Fox in the pantomime musical Humpty Dumpty. The show ran from 1868 to 1869 becoming, at the time, the longest-running show on Broadway. Well, at least we can rest assured that Humpty Dumpty is the only nursery rhyme that isn’t quite what it seems, right?! Not so fast…. “Jack & Jill”, a rhyme about children rolling down a hill, originated in France in reference to King Louis XVI (Jack) and Queen Marie Antoinette (Jill) who were both guillotined in 1793 “Jack fell down and broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after.” “Mary, Mary Quite Contrary” isn’t about an older woman’s interest in flowers, but references Mary Tudor I of England, known best for her bloody reign. “How does your garden grow?” refers to Bloody Mary’s growing graveyard of executed Protestants. “Georgie Porgie Pudding & Pie” is said to satirize George Villiers, the 1st Duke of Buckingham, a scandalous playboy in his day. George was said to play both fields, first with King James I then with many ladies of the court, eventually being knighted as Gentleman of the Bedchamber. What on earth are we to make of all this “misinformation”? Let’s see what Humpty has to say about it. In Humpty Dumpty’s appearance in Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, Alice remarks that Humpty is "exactly like an egg," which Humpty finds to be "very provoking" in the looking-glass world. Alice clarifies that she said he looks like an egg, not that he is one. They discuss semantics and pragmatics when Humpty Dumpty says, "my name means the shape I am." Later in the conversation: "I don't know what you mean by 'glory,' " Alice said. Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. "Of course you don't—till I tell you. I meant 'there's a nice knock-down argument for you!'" "But 'glory' doesn't mean 'a nice knock-down argument'," Alice objected. "When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less." "The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things." "The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master—that's all." So you see, Humpty Dumpty was not what he seemed at all. In fact, he was a master of misinformation, using his charming demeanor to spread false information to the masses. Perhaps the egg was the truth, the wall on which he sat the lies that surround us. And when Humpty had his great fall, it was the collapse of truth. As we continue to celebrate the timeless tale of Humpty Dumpty, we should keep in mind the real story (stories) behind the story. A cautionary tale for our modern times - for the child in all of us - where the lines between fact and fiction are so often blurred. Tell us about your favorite fairy tale in the comments below. #nurseryryhme #humptydumpty #fairytale #lewiscarroll #throughthelookingglass #broadway #england #civilwar #aliceinwonderland #anyhigh

It’s that time of the year once again. The day where we all gather together to celebrate the life and legacy of a small, furry creature with, apparently, a knack for predicting the weather. Yes, it’s GROUNDHOG DAY! Arguably one of the most absurd holidays on the American calendar. For those unfamiliar, the tradition dictates that on February 2nd, a groundhog emerges from its burrow and, if it sees its shadow, we can expect six more weeks of winter. If not, spring is just around the corner. The most famous ceremony, celebrating this Pennsylvania Dutch superstition (more about superstitions later), occurs in Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania on the east coast of the United States. It centers on a semi-mythical groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil being dragged out and held on high in search of its shadow. Now, let’s think about this for a moment. A groundhog. A rodent. Deciding the weather for an entire season. Ridiculous? Maybe. But this animal prognosticator has been at it since the 1880’s. Records kept by the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club show that Phil (we assume this means Phil senior and his countless descendants) has predicted 105 continued winters and only 20 early springs. According to the Stormfax Almanac, that works out to a 39% accuracy rate for Phil. For a little perspective, a typical hand of blackjack gives you a 42.22% chance of winning. But we’re talking about the weather here. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operates three types of satellites to monitor and predict the weather. Using this technology, a seven-day forecast can accurately predict the weather about 80% of the time for a five-day forecast. However, 30-day and longer forecasts, they say, are virtually useless. So, perhaps if the NOAA launched Phil into space on one of its forecasting satellites, we might get a whole new take on long-term weather forecasting. But back to Groundhog Day. The origins of this bizarre tradition can be traced back to ancient celebrations of Candlemas, when clergy would bless and distribute candles needed for winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be. Germans expanded on this concept by selecting an animal – the hedgehog – as a means of predicting the weather. Because who needs science and technology when you have candle wax and a small rodent, right? Which brings us to superstitions. Do you believe in knocking on wood to prevent bad luck, throwing salt over your shoulder to ward off evil spirits, or carrying a rabbit’s foot for good luck? (Because carrying around a lifeless, mutilated body part is exactly what you need to attract positive vibes, right?) Superstitions have been around for as long as humans have been thinking about the world and their place in it and, despite the advancement of technology and science, superstitions still persist. Perhaps it’s the comfort of having something to believe in, even if it’s completely irrational. Or maybe it’s just the fear of facing an uncertain world without any crutches to lean on. It’s human nature to want to make sense of the world around us, and superstitions provide a way to do that, even if they’re not based on fact. They’re a way for people to feel as though they are taking control of situations that are beyond their control. And after all, what’s the harm in taking a silly holiday tradition seriously for just one day? In any case, we embrace the absurdity of Groundhog Day and all its quirky superstitions. And we raise a glass to Sir Punxsutawney Phil and his continued success in predicting the weather - again, and again, and again….. We’d love to hear about some unusual superstitions you’ve heard of, or any unusual encounters with groundhog’s that you may have had, in the comments below. #groundhogday #groundhog #punxsutawneyphil #pennsylvania #unitedstates #superstition #blackjack #billmurray #winter #spring #anyhigh

Welcome to yet another groundbreaking and highly researched blog post, this time about the world’s best cuisines – greasy fast food and microwavable dinners need not apply. Because let’s be real, who doesn’t love a good listing about food? And who better to trust for culinary expertise than a group of random internet strangers? That’s exactly what food travel guide TasteAtlas has done in putting together its listing of the world’s best cuisines. According to their website, they assembled the rankings based on “audience votes for ingredients, dishes, and beverages.” Who, exactly, made up this audience is not specified, but it clearly didn’t include the social media masses, as the Twitter and Instagram worlds have been blowing up at the results. Many were a bit surprised (putting it mildly) that American cuisine ranked as the eighth-best cuisine, surpassing French, Thai and 42 others, an outcome that has generated nearly 50 million views on Twitter. Without further ado, and regardless of tweets like, “…this is a list you’d come up with if you’d never eaten food…”, here is the TasteAtlas list of the top 50 Best Cuisines in the World: Now, a true foodie is never afraid to fully immerse themselves in local cuisine experiences. But there comes the point where we go from weird and wonderful to just plain weird. Since there has been quite a bit of controversy over “the best”, we thought we’d put together our own, in no particular order, list of some of “the weirdest” dishes from around the world. Some that we’ve tried ourselves, some not. Tuna Eyeballs – Japan: “Here’s looking at you kid” takes on a whole new meaning when it comes to tuna in Japan, where every single morsel is devoured – right up to the eyeballs. You can buy them cheap in local supermarkets and find them on menus in restaurants across the country. And they are pretty large after all! You can boil or steam them, then season with garlic or soy sauce. We’re told they taste a bit like squid. Balut – Philippines: Put Daffy and Donald out of your mind when you try this popular Filipino delicacy. Balut is a fertilized duck egg that’s about two to three weeks into development, boiled alive, then eaten directly from the shell – embryo and all - with salt, chili and vinegar. Just tap a hole in the top, suck out the savory liquid, and then crunch down the rest of what’s inside – feathers, bones, and all. Smalahove – Norway: Though not particularly well-known for weird food, this Norwegian dish of sheep’s head, usually eaten on the Sunday before Christmas, deserves special mention. If you’re not in Norway at Christmas, but can get your hands on a sheep head, the preparation is to soak it in a pot of water for 24 hours, then create a brine and leave it to soak for another 24 hours, then boil it. We’re told the eyes and ears are often eaten first as these are the fattest bits of the head, but the most delicious parts are usually the cheek and tongue…. Fried Tarantulas – Cambodia: While it’s doubtful the first thing many of us would think about when we saw a tarantula would be “lunch”, it’s perhaps no surprise that these spiders were first eaten by Cambodians starving under the Khmer Rouge regime. Today, these hairy arachnids are still a popular snack and there’s even one Cambodian town nicknamed Spiderville because the townspeople love eating spiders so much. Apparently, they taste a bit like crab, so they probably look a lot worse than they taste. Deep Fried Butter Balls – USA: Yes, in America, anything can be deep fried, even balls of butter..... And while it probably tastes delicious, it definitely earns a place on this list of weird foods. According to trustworthy sources on the internet, deep-fried butter was invented by a man named Abel Gonzales Jr. Nicknamed “Fried Jesus”, he also invented other bizarre fried items including fried coke. If you love clogged arteries or you’ve simply lost the will to live, this deep-fried ball of butter is for you! Casu Marzu – Italy: Are you a fan of rare cheeses? How about cheeses infested with live maggots? But wait, it’s from Italy. And Italy came out the #1 cuisine in the world, right?! Also known as “rotten cheese”, this Sardinian delicacy is made from Pecorino that’s waaaaaay past its expiration date. After its decomposed, it’s then infested with the larvae of cheese flies which hatch inside, burrow around, digest the fats, and transform the product into a soft creamy cheese. Illegal in many countries because of the fatal consequences that can come along with it, you can choose to enjoy yours with or without the maggots. Jellied Moose Nose – Canada: Granted, nose isn’t exactly one of the choicer cuts of beef. But that hasn’t stopped Canadians from experimenting with nasal gastronomy. In addition to having to track down a moose, the recipe - https://www.food.com/recipe/jellied-moose-nose-283337 - is pretty labor intensive as well. Remove the hair inside the nose first, then boil it and re-boil it, cover it in a broth which sets into a jelly and Voila – Jellied Moose Nose in just 25 hours! Huitlacoche – Mexico: Ever had a craving for corn fungus? Probably not. But this Mexican delicacy just might change your mind. Also known as “corn smut” or “Mexican truffle”, Huitlacoche is actually made from a plant disease/fungus that grows on the ears of corn, around the kernels, in puffy, gray clouds. The dish apparently has a woody, earthy flavor from the fungus. Fruit Bat Soup – Palau: As the saying goes, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. And we’re guessing that’s never been more true than when sampling this famed delicacy from Palau. Served in a large bowl of delicious soup bursting with flavor, and a whole bat staring you in the face. Most bats eat insects, but fruit bats eat - you guessed it - fruit, flowers and nectar. This, we’re told, makes their meat wickedly sweet. The broth is made by washing a bat and throwing it in boiling water, fur and all. Ginger and coconut milk is added. When served, the real way to eat it is to chew the bat, suck out the meat and then discard the remaining fur. Goong Ten – Thailand: This roughly translates as “dancing shrimp”. Why? Because the shrimp are still alive when they’re served to you. The shrimp are usually pretty calm, until they’re covered in the sauce which causes them to jump around trying to escape, giving the illusion that they are dancing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHd_0ZeKIy0 Edible Fat-Bottomed Ants – Colombia: No, this is not a song by Queen. The Hormiga Culona are a large leafcutter ant that is a popular Colombian delicacy. Packed with fats, vitamins and minerals, they are eaten either fried or roasted like peanuts. Century Egg – China: If you discovered a rotten egg, would your first thought be to eat it? Well, someone in ancient China did, lived to tell about it and now it’s an established delicacy. The century egg (normally just a few months old) is a duck or chicken egg that’s become black with a dark green yolk after being processed for weeks or months in a clay, ash, quicklime mixture along with salt. The flavor is intense. Stargazey Pie – England: Originating in a Cornish village called Mousehole in England, this is a pie with fish that stare up at the sky. The Cornish pie is made by baking pilchards, eggs, and potatoes under a pastry crust – the key namesake factor is the heads of the fish must poke out of the pie. Penis Fish – South Korea: Gaebul is the Korean word for this rather unusual looking fish, usually eaten raw served with a savory sauce made of sesame oil. Actually, it’s not a fish but a marine spoon worm that is mainly caught off the west coast of Korea. It’s said not to have a very distinctive taste which, we guess, means it’s all about the sauce! Now granted, you may have to be a sandwich short of a picnic to try some of these weird dishes we’ve just listed. But the question is, have you? Let us know in the comments below. #food #tasteatlas #lists #culinary #cuisine #recipes #twitter #instagram #japan #tuna #philippines #duck #daffyduck #donaldduck #balut #norway #sheep #christmas #cambodia #spiders #usa #america #deepfried #jesus #butter #italy #cheese #canada #moose #beef #mexico #corn #palau #fruitbat #thailand #shrimp #colombia #ants #queen #china #eggs #centuryegg #england #pie #korea #southkorea #fish #anyhigh

Ladies and gentlemen, gather round, because it’s time to talk a bit about the green elephant in the room… No, not him! We mean cannabis. Whether you love it, hate it, or just can’t seem to remember what you did the last time you smoked it, there’s no denying that this plant has a long and storied history. So, sit back, relax, and let’s get lifted (with knowledge, of course) as we explore some interesting trivia about the highs and more of the world’s most controversial herb. Origins of the Word: The book, “The Cannabis Manifesto”, details how indigenous Mexicans originally referred to hemp flowers (which had been introduced by the Spanish to make ropes and candles) as “pipiltzintzintlis”, which meant “the noblest princess” in the Nahuatl language. These indigenous people used it for medicinal purposes during colonial times. When the Spanish eventually banned it, those who continued using it simply called it “marijuana”, which in Nahuatl means “things of Mary” or religious possessions, as a colloquial term to avoid punishment for its possession. The First Dope Dealers: The Yamnaya, thought to be one of the three key tribes that founded European civilization, were nomads who entered Europe some 5,000 years ago from the eastern steppe region, in what is now Ukraine and Russia. They brought with them metallurgy, grazing and, perhaps most critically for the growth of civilization, they were also responsible for the first transcontinental cannabis trade, as they discovered the versatility of the plant, using it as medicine, raw material and even exploiting its hallucinogenic properties. Getting High on Easter Isle: How did the ancients move the giant, 4.3-ton heads from the quarries on Easter Island to their current locations? On rollers? Did they have alien help? In 2012, California State University archaeologist Carl Lipo showed that all that was needed was hemp rope. By tying three hemp ropes to the statue and having a team of 18 people rock it back and forth until it “walked”, they were able to move the stone heads 100 meters in less than an hour. If they only could’ve infused the stones with THC, maybe they would’ve walked on their own?? The Bard Smoked Up: William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is widely regarded as the greatest English playwright and poet, but was he also the greatest stoner in British history? Marijuana residues were found in the Bard’s home, which – we thinkith – could have been an enormous aid in writing, or at least of inspiration. The First Grower: George Washington was the first President of the United States. He was also a prolific hemp farmer. He mentions the plant at least ninety times in his diaries and writings, talking about finding, sowing, and harvesting the best hemp seeds. While there is no mention of him smoking his goods, we know that he was keen to put the plant to many other uses. The House That Hemp Builds: Hempcrete is a bio-composite material made from hemp hurds (the woody inner core) and lime. It’s used as a construction and insulation material, is easier to work with than traditional lime mixes and lacks the brittleness of concrete. This makes it an ideal material for most climates, as it combines insulation and thermal mass. The only drawback we see is that people might often be setting their homes on fire for the ultimate “hot box” experience. California Leads - in All Directions: Long before being banned by federal law in 1937, cannabis was outlawed in California in 1913 as part of an anti-narcotics campaign aimed at opiates. California then became the first state in the US to legalize cannabis for medical use in 1996. It’s been legal for recreational use in the Golden State since 2016. L.A. Is A Weed Wonderland: On January 1, 1976, Angelenos woke to find that Cal State Northridge art student, Danny Finegood, had changed the Hollywood sign to read Hollyweed. A stunt which earned him an “A” grade in his class assignment. Today, aside from being the city of the stars, Los Angeles has more marijuana dispensaries than Starbucks. We do so love La La Land! Dude, Where’s My Stash: According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the “bulkiest drug seizure” of cannabis was 2,903 metric tons (6.4 million pounds), all of which came from a Colombian drug operation, in 1982. This single catch was one-fifth of the total amount of cannabis being illegally imported into the United States per year at the time. The First Transaction: In a 2005, author John Markoff wrote the following: “In 1971 or 1972, Stanford students used accounts from the university’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory to conduct a business transaction with their counterparts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Before Amazon and eBay, the seminal act of e-commerce was a drug deal, as students used the ARPANET network to quietly agree to the sale of an indeterminate amount of marijuana”. (ARPANET was a computer network created by the U.S. Department of Defense that built the backbone of the Internet until 1990) Stories We Can’t Make Up: Louis Armstrong, one of the all-time great jazz musicians and beloved entertainer, in the late 1950s had been named “Goodwill Ambassador” for the United States. When he landed in New York after a 1958 concert tour in Europe and Asia, he was directed to the customs line for a search of his luggage (he had about 1 kg of marijuana in his suitcase) Just before the customs agents began their search, the doors opened and then Vice President Richard Nixon entered the room, followed by a group of reporters and photographers. “Satchmo, what are you doing here?” Nixon asked in surprise. “Well, I just got back from my goodwill ambassador tour in Asia and they told me I had to clear customs”. Without hesitation, Nixon grabbed his two suitcases. “Ambassadors don’t have to go through customs and the vice president of the United States will gladly carry their bags,” Nixon said, playing Armstrong’s mule without even knowing it. We thought we would conclude this brief cannabis chronicle with a happy ending story. No, no, not that kind….. The famous Jamaican musician, Bob Marley, was buried with his red Gibson guitar, a Bible open to Psalms 23 and a cannabis bud. For those of you, like us, who are in need of a scripture primer, the 23rd Psalm begins, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures” We hope Mr. Marley is indeed kicked back in a fragrant green field of his favorite herb. #cannabis #marijuana #weed #hemp #easterisland #mexico #hotbox #williamshakespeare #georgewashington #bobmarley #louisarmstrong #richardnixon #colombia #stanford #mit #california #losangeles #hollywood #hollyweed #guinnessbookofworldrecords #thebiglebowski #billandtedsexcellentadventure #dudewheresmycar #anyhigh

Today’s blog post is about one of our favorite addictions – alcohol. If you are, or know an addict, then you know that people will do some pretty crazy things to get another drink. Indeed, we’ve been getting plastered, hammered, tanked, sloshed, bombed, juiced-up, embalmed, buzzed, toasted (fill in your preferred term here) for as long as there’s been civilization. That being said, we’d like to propose a theory here today – that the real reason humans moved from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to farming was so that we could get drunk. Farming allowed us to grow things like barley and grapes, which, when mixed with a little magic and some fermentation, turned into delicious, mind-numbing booze. And booze provided more positive psychotropic effects, like increased cheerfulness and confidence, which would have attracted early humans to try and consume more. Throughout history, man has always been on the lookout for new and exciting ways to get drunk. Sure, there were the early days of just drinking water, but let’s be real. Drinking water is, well, it’s just so darn sobering. (We won’t even get into the “turning water into wine” tale here) So, our ancestors decided to take things to the next level by inventing farming. And let’s not forget about the great advances in technology that farming brought about. Think about it: without farming, we would never have invented the plow (not to mention the cocktail shaker) And the plow allowed us to plant more crops and, ipso facto, make more alcohol. We also never would have invented the distillation process, which allowed us to make stronger and more unique alcoholic beverages. Can you even imagine a world without the complex flavors of a well-aged Scotch or the effervescence of a cold beer on a hot summer day? Without farming, we would be stuck with a monotonous alcoholic diet of fermented berries and honey. Now, you might make the argument that future discovery cannot be a cause of past action. However, there is evidence of fermentation during the hunter-gatherer period as well. At the neolithic site of Göbekli Tepe in southern Turkey, archaeologists have uncovered a series of giant stone troughs erected more than 10,000 years ago. At the bottom of these huge vessels, they found traces of a chemical called calcium oxalate, typically produced during the soaking, mashing and fermenting of grain. In other words, it’s a by-product of brewing. From this evidence, researchers concluded that Göbekli Tepe was a vast festival site where Stone Age men and women came to feast and to drink beer by the trough-load. It seems that humans have known how to party for a very, very long time. The makers of this ancient beverage would have relied on a brewing method that involved their teeth and saliva. To allow for fermentation, they would have first chewed on wild rice, turning the starch into sugar. Then they would have added a mixture of honey, wild grapes and fruit found in their location. So, we could conclude that the main motivation for settling down and domesticating crops was probably to be closer to the grains that they could use to ferment - thus being closer to the booze - thus negating the argument of “future discovery versus past action”. Our love of alcohol is deep-rooted and that drink – although harmful in excess – still has a role to play in generating happiness and wellbeing. Studies clearly show that there are social and health benefits to be derived directly from drinking moderate amounts of alcohol, especially in relaxed social environments, which is one reason why the practice has been around so long. Alcohol activates the endorphin system and endorphins generate a positive feeling in a person, similar to that of morphine. We feel good, and this helps to enhance social bonds among those who indulge together. In other words, alcohol was vital to strengthening social bonding and breaking down inhibitions. So, it could easily be argued that, without booze, society as we know it might never have developed. Our ancestors likely discovered how to create alcohol by accident. It’s been theorized that some grain that had fermented by falling into a pool of water was picked up and eaten. Once consumed, those drops of alcohol juices would have hit the taster’s brain, causing them to wonder where they could get more. Happy Accident = Happy Ending. Today we celebrate the fact that there’s more to life than just survival and, human nature and addiction being what it is, our ancestors must certainly have had an appreciation for that as well. Fueled in no small part by the discovery of alcohol. Think about the experience of our ancestors. If you’d never tasted alcohol before, a few sips must have seemed to produce an almost mystical experience. It would lower your heart rate and calm your nerves, taste sweet, provide a feeling of euphoria and you would certainly have wanted that feeling to last. Perhaps that’s why they forested the earth in agriculture. Just imagine if the people of Kentucky could grow Percocet on trees. It would physically harm them, yes. Make them weaker. Their children would suffer. Their bank accounts would collapse. But as long as they stuck to it, they’d have Percocet. And anyone who knows an addict knows that Kentucky would be forested like never before. Our hunter-gatherer ancestor’s lives were likely pretty painful and devoid of entertainment. Alcohol reduces inhibitions, lowers sensations of pain and increases euphoria. And since so many of their daily life choices would have meant risking life and limb, their inhibitions would have been in serious need of lowering. Even so, making the switch to farming in the early days just wouldn’t have made sense since the costs far outweighed the benefits. Farming would have meant more energy spent per calorie gained. You can steal a farmer’s entire livelihood in one day while the only way to outdo another hunter-gatherer would have been to hunt and gather more yourself. And farming physically weakened us. All our fruits and grains and vegetables today contain exponentially more sugar, water, and nutrients than 10,000 years ago. Early farmers were shorter, thicker, and less muscular than their hunter-gatherer cousins. They worked longer hours, lived shorter lives, and had fewer children. Stability made them more vulnerable to attack and changes in climate. In short, it sucked! So, it should come as no surprise that in nearly all the locations where early agriculture has been studied, there have been found unique forms of farm-based intoxicants. Within a short time of settling into farming, a great deal of time and energy was apparently being put into producing alcohol. Besides, crops last longer when they’re fermented. Grapes spoil quickly while wine can last for years. Alcohol was also safer because, before refrigeration and clean water, access to a safe, reliable, filling drink would have provided the kind of stability that might just have made farming worthwhile. Now you might ask, why not make bread instead of beer? At the time, the latter was just easier to create. Since humans were only just beginning to cultivate plants, the kind of wheat grown then would have made a bread that would have been a far cry from what we have available today. From a nutritional standpoint, baking bread is a far worse use of resources than brewing beer. Beer (also known as “liquid bread”) was a repeatable, non-perishable food source. Plus, alcohol just tasted so good! While it’s obvious that the invention of farming was a crucial step in the development of human civilization, we postulate here that one of the main reasons was because it gave us the ability to make alcohol and get drunk. So, the next time you raise a glass, remember to thank our ancestors for their wise decision to give up hunting and gathering for the sake of our inebriated happiness. We thought that it was most appropriate to conclude our discussion today with a quote from one of our favorite philosophers: “I feel sorry for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day”. Dean Martin #alcohol #booze #agriculture #fruits #vegetables #beer #bread #drink #turkey #archaelogy #euphoria #deanmartin #anyhigh

An apple (cunningly labeled “to the fairest”) started the Trojan War. (Odysseus, later struggling to get home from that same war, yearns for the garden he had as a child, populated by apple trees.) The Norse gods owed their immortality to apples. The Arabian Nights features a magic apple from Samarkand capable of curing all human diseases—predating the belief that an apple a day will keep the doctor away, a proverb that first appeared in print in 1866. Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Dylan Thomas all wrote poems about apples; and everyone from Caravaggio to Magritte painted them. Funnily enough, one place where the ubiquitous apple does not appear is in the Old Testament’s Book of Genesis. The original story of Adam, Eve, the snake, and the forbidden Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil mentions only an unspecified “fruit,” thus opening up centuries of debate over what the hapless First Couple actually ate. Today we are presenting our own hi-story of the apple in keeping with the style of one of our favorite segments – Fractured Fairy Tales – from one of our all-time favorite cartoon series – Rocky & Bullwinkle. Once upon a time, in a world where fruits were apparently sentient and capable of having grand adventures, there was an apple. This particular apple was, to put it mildly, a bit of a mess. It was always causing chaos wherever it went, and yet somehow, it managed to become one of the most iconic and beloved fruits of all time. How did that happen, you might ask? Well, it’s a long and winding road from the beginning to the end of its story, but we’ll do our best to summarize it for you. The apple’s story starts, as all good stories do, with its birth. As a mere seed, the apple was content to lounge around inside its mother tree’s womb in the mountains of Kazakhstan, waiting for the day it would finally get to see the world. Sadly, our apple never knew who its father was (DNA tests later revealed dad went by the last name of Rosaceae. The little apple was actually part of the Rose family and it was related to pears, plums, peaches, cherries, strawberries, and raspberries. Apparently, dad was quite the pollinator in his day!) As it turns out, the apple was not one for patience. It grew tired of waiting and decided to take matters into its own (nonexistent) hands. With a mighty push, the apple burst forth from its cozy cocoon and tumbled to the ground below. From there, the apple set out on its grand adventure. It met all sorts of interesting characters along the way – birds and bees and butterflies and more! It learned all sorts of new things, like how to pollinate flowers and how to play hide-and-seek with the sun. But, as with all good things, the apple’s adventure eventually came to an end. You see, as the days went on, the apple started to get a little bit….well, hungry. And as it wandered through the forest, searching for something tasty to eat, it came across a group of mischievous little creatures known as humans. Now, humans were a curious bunch. They were always poking and prodding and asking questions, and they seemed to have a particular fascination with apples. So, when they saw the apple, they couldn’t resist the temptation to give it a try. At first, the apple was, wisely, a bit hesitant. It had never really interacted with humans before, and it wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But as it turned out, humans were actually pretty friendly! They gave the apple lots of love and attention, and before long, the apple was feeling right at home. It learned how to read poetry and appreciate fine art – but only when it was the main focus of the work. As the years went on, the apple and humans became the best of friends. They spent their days exploring the forest together, learning to cook, having picnics and playing games. And whenever the apple was feeling a little bit puckish, the humans would always have a tasty treat on hand – whether it was a a warm gooey batch of apple crumble or a crisp, delicious slice of apple pie. But as the apple’s fame and fortune grew, it couldn’t help but get a little bit….well, annoying. It started to think that it was the most important fruit in the world, and it treated all the other fruits with disdain. It was as if the apple had completely forgotten its humble beginnings and the simple pleasure of its youth. And so, even to this day, the apple (in all of its nearly 8,000 varieties) remains one of the most insufferable and arrogant fruits of all time. Its story is one of entitlement, greed, and a complete lack of self-awareness – a true testament to the worst aspects it picked up, no doubt, from its good friend, the humans. But hey, at least it’s not a banana! #apples #history #fairytales #rockieandbullwinkle #mythology #trojanwar #greece # odysseus #arabiannights #samarkand #robertfrost #emilydickinson #dylanthomas #art #painting #genesis #adamandeve #fruit #kazakhstan #roses #pears #plums #peaches #cherries #banana

In keeping with our holiday traditions theme from last week, today we’re going to take a look at some New Year’s (eve or day) traditions that are unique to their particular place. In the USA, the two most famous New Year’s Eve happenings are the Ball Drop and the Kiss. (There’s lots of other things dropping all around the USA on New Year’s Eve, but more about that later). The Ball Drop in New York City’s Times Square was first held on December 31, 1907 and has been held annually ever since (except in 1942 and 1943 due to World War II blackouts). The original ball was 5 feet (1.5 m) in diameter, constructed from wood and iron and illuminated with 100 incandescent light bulbs. The current ball is 12 feet (3.7 m) in diameter and uses over 32,000 LED lamps and, since 1999, features an outer surface of triangular panels manufactured by Waterford Crystal. In many western cultures, especially North America, ushering in the New Year with a kiss (with whomever happens to be nearby) is a custom dating back to Medieval superstitions but welcomed by all (depending upon, one supposes, whomever happens to be within lip range at the time). The precise origin of puckering up the second the new year begins is unclear, but the custom is often traced back to two winter festivals: the Saturnalia in ancient Rome and the Hogmanay, a Viking tradition still celebrated on New Year’s in Scotland. It’s considered an act of wishing the receiver “good luck” going into the next year. Now, let’s take a quick trip around the world to see some of the more unusual New Year’s traditions that, while they might not get as much publicity as the Times Square Ball drop, lack for nothing in the way of creativity. Smashing Plates: If you happen to be in Denmark and wake up to find a pile of smashed crockery on your doorstep, it’s probably New Year’s Eve. Unused plates and glasses are saved up all year until December 31st when they’re hurled at the front doors of friends and family. Broken glass is meant to bring good luck and good fortune in the new year. So, the bigger the heap of broken glass on your doorstep, the more popular – and lucky - you are! Scarecrow Burning: For los años viejos In Ecuador, people make large puppets or scarecrows that look like politicians, notable figures or people they dislike; old clothes are stuffed with newspaper and a mask is fitted on top. Then it's out with the old and in with the new as they burn these effigies on New Year’s Eve to leave the bad in the past. Joya no Kane (108 Bells): This is the traditional ceremony of bell-ringing on New Year's Eve in Japan. At Buddhist temples around the country, bells are rung 108 times to represent the cleansing of 108 worldly passions. The 108th ring comes in the New Year, accompanied by a wish that those who listen will not be plagued by their passions in the year ahead. Beware of Flying Furniture: Though not as common as it once was, in parts of Italy (and strangely, in Johannesburg, South Africa) the motto is “out with the old” literally! On New Year’s Eve it’s traditional to throw old, unwanted furniture out of balconies to the streets below. People would stockpile old fridges, couches, and more in the weeks leading up to New Year's Eve. Throwing old furniture out of windows is supposed to symbolize casting away old problems and getting a fresh start. Onion Hanging: In Greece on Protochronia, or New Year’s Eve, hanging an onion on your door signifies rebirth and regrowth. This unusual tradition refers to the squill (sea onion), a poisonous plant that grows in Crete and resembles a large onion. The squill will continue to grow new leaves and flowers even when uprooted. By placing an onion or squill on their front door on New Year's Eve, the people of Crete and Greece believe that some of the plant's resilience and good luck will rub off on them. It remains to be seen how enthusiastic children welcome this tradition because, the morning after, parents wake their children by smacking them in the head with the onion to make them get up for church service... Colorful Underwear: In South American countries like Brazil, Mexico and Bolivia, your fortune for the year ahead is determined by the color of your underpants. Those looking for love wear pink or red underwear, gold diggers best opt for yellow which brings wealth and luck. If you’re just looking for a bit of peace and harmony in the New Year, plain white should do the trick. Smashing Pomegranates: In Armenia, pomegranates are thrown on the ground for good luck. The more pieces and seeds spread on the ground, the more successful the new year will be. The color and shape of the pomegranate is is said to resemble the human heart and symbolizes life, fertility, and health. Farm Animal Whisperers: In Belgium and Romania, on New Year’s, it’s important to remember any livestock that you might be close to. Farmers will wish their cows a Happy Moo Year (apologies, but we just couldn’t resist..) It’s believed that if they are able to communicate, then it will bring good luck in the New Year. Meanwhile, back in the USA, for those of you who aren’t interested in watching the ball drop in Times Square, here are some other options for you to see various items dropping to ring in the New Year: · The Whiskey Row Boot Drop in Prescott, Arizona where a six-foot, lighted boot is lowered down a 40-foot flagpole. · Giant Pickle drop in Mount Olive, North Carolina. Good if you’re too tired to make it to midnight as the giant pickle begins to drop at 7pm where it will end up landing in a giant pickle jar. (Free pickles given out during the event!) · Sartori Cheese Drop in Plymouth, Wisconsin. Makes sense in the cheese capital of the world. · Hot Potato Drop in Boise, Idaho. Watch the world-famous “GlowTato” fly in and get your picture taken with “Spuddy Buddy”. · Giant Walleye Drop in Port Clinton, Ohio. Watch a 20-foot long, six-hundred pound walleye drop at midnight. For the kids, they also have a minnow drop... · The Midnight Muskrat Dive in Princess Anne, Maryland. To commemorate the new year a stuffed muskrat (wearing, of course a cape and a stovepipe hat) is sent gliding down a zipline. The history of these unusual “dropping” traditions is mired in mystery; so if any of you can share their historical significance, have seen them or have some other interesting new years traditions to share, as always, we’d love to hear all about it in the comments! And from all of us at AnyHigh - HAPPY 2023 TO ALL! #newyearseve #newyear #2023 #kiss #tradition #timessquare #balldrop #waterfordcrystal #saturnalia #rome #hogmanay #denmark #ecuador #japan #italy #greece #brazil #mexico #bolivia #underwear #armenia #belgium #romania #usa #arizona #wisconsin #idaho #ohio #maryland #anyhigh

It’s that time of year when a jolly old fat man will soon be flying through the air and shimmying down chimneys the world over. In other words, it’s Christmas time around the world. Children are sending their wish lists to Santa, parents are maxing out their credit cards and that special Christmas fruitcake is being passed as a gift, from person to person. (Little known factoid – there are now, and have only ever been, five actual fruit cakes in circulation. The reason is because no one ever eats them. They just re-gift one of the five to friends that they’ve forgotten to buy a real gift for. Those five, petrified fruitcakes, have been making the rounds for close to a millennium by now) We too have been getting in the holiday mood here at AnyHigh.life. And yet, while manger scenes, Santa Claus, and smiling snowmen still reign supreme, we thought we’d take a blog post moment and share with you some of the more unusual holiday traditions we’ve come across from around the world. Krampus: In most countries Father Christmas, Santa Claus or Saint Nick brings children presents for Christmas, but some parts of Europe are also home to his evil accomplice. The half-goat, half-demon Krampus is said to wander the streets carrying a wicker basket in search of badly-behaved children. While St. Nicholas rewards good boys and girls with sweets, apples, and nuts, Krampus is said to capture the naughtiest children and whisk them away in his sack. The folktale is popular throughout Austria, southern Germany, Hungary, and even northern Italy, where you can see people dressed as the Krampus walking the streets in the first week of December. KFC Christmas: Christmas isn’t a big deal in Japan, apart from gift-giving and light displays. It isn’t even a national holiday, however its citizens have found an interesting way to celebrate by going to meet a white-bearded man. (If you’re thinking Santa Claus, then you’re way off!) Thanks to a festive marketing campaign in the 1970’s, Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii (or “Kentucky for Christmas”) where fried chicken was promoted as the perfect Christmas meal, a feast of Kentucky Fried Chicken has become a firmly established holiday Christmas tradition in the country since then. It’s not uncommon for people to place orders weeks in advance to ensure they get their preferred meal on Christmas Day. Eating raw whale skin with blubber & moldy birds: Before you ask, this isn't buying a turkey on "sell-by" the previous year and cooking it up when it's way out of date. The moldy bird "delicacy" in Greenland is called Kiviak. It's made with a small bird called an Auk. The Auk has been preserved in the hollowed-out body of a seal, buried for several months, and then eaten once it's decomposed. Another treat on the menu is Mattak, made from the skin and blubber of a whale and usually eaten raw, though sometimes it's deep-fried and munched on with soy sauce. The Caganer: We’ve all heard the story of the three wise men who visited the baby Jesus. Well, in the Catalan tradition there’s a fourth chap on the scene, though his gift wasn’t quite as aromatic as frankincense and myrrh. The word “Caganer” literally means “the shitter” in Catalan and nativity scenes in this part of Spain frequently have an unusual addition. The Caganer can be found tucked away into a small corner and is traditionally a man with his pants rolled down and caught in the act taking a poop. The Caganer’s origins are a bit foggy, but it seems to point to the fertilization of the earth, which then yields food, therefore joy and happiness came in with Christmas. Feeding the Poop Log: The Catalonians' obsession with festive defecating doesn't stop there - there's the Tio de Nadal (Christmas Log), also known as the Caga Tio, a "pooping" wooden log (pardon the pun) with a painted face and two front legs. On December 8th, families bring out the happy log. Every night until December 24th, children “feed” the log by offering him nuts, dried fruit and water. They also cover it with a blanket to ensure he stays warm and comfortable. Then on Christmas Eve it’s the little guy’s time to shine. Children gather around the branch and beat him with sticks while singing that festive traditional Tio de Nadal song: Shit log, Shit nougats, Hazelnuts and mato cheese, If you don’t shit well, I’ll hit you with a stick, Shit log! Then comes the Christmas miracle – the children look under Tio de Nadal’s blanket and find that he’s pooped out a pile of candies and presents. After everyone’s collected their gifts, the little guy is burned for warmth. Roller Skating Mass: In the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, it’s become tradition to go to mass on Christmas morning on roller skates. Originated in the 1960’s, the tradition has become so popular that many streets are closed to traffic so that people can skate safely to and from church. Mummers: In Latvia, groups of people disguise themselves as animals or macabre characters. They go from house to house within their community during the twelve days of Christmas to drive away the evil spirits with music and traditional songs. In return, families offer the mummers traditional Christmas food and drinks. Hiding the Brooms: Norwegians don't take any chances on Christmas Eve. Apparently, the night is renowned as a prime broom-joyriding time for evil witches and spirits, who may help themselves if yours isn't hidden from sight. This is a tradition that dates back centuries and traditionally families hide their brooms before they go to bed. Killer Cat: In Iceland, a giant cat is said to roam the countryside at Christmas time. The “Jolakotturinn”, or “Yule Cat”, is a monster from Icelandic folklore who hides in the snow and eats people who are wearing scruffy clothes. A tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages, farmers would use the Yule Cat as an incentive for their workers - those who worked hard would receive a new set of clothes, but those who didn't would be devoured by the gigantic cat-beast. Today it is customary for everyone in Iceland to get new clothing for Christmas to avoid the wrath of the Yule Cat. Noche de Rábanos: The Night of the Radishes is an annual event held in the city of Oaxaca, Mexico every 23rd of December. It’s a vegetable carving competition where people use radishes to make sculptures. The tradition began in 1897 and everyone uses radishes grown by the government to ensure a fair competition. And after all, who doesn’t love a nice juicy radish at Christmas?? Kalle Anka: Ask someone in Sweden what they’ll be doing on the afternoon of Christmas Eve each year and the answer you’re most likely to get is “watching television”. Specifically, they’ll be watching a 1958 Christmas special called "Kalle Anka och hans vänner önskar God Jul" or "Donald Duck and his friends wish you a Merry Christmas". Everything is planned around the television special which airs at 3pm on the 24th, with more than 40% of Sweden's population still tuning in. The tradition dates back to the 1960s when televisions were a new commodity in Sweden and only two channels aired - one of which played Disney cartoons at Christmas. A whole nation coming together to watch Christmas cartoons together is just about as festive as it gets. If you’d like to make this a Christmas Eve Day tradition at your house, you can watch the 1958 special right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-XyCSHaD6s Santa & Machine Guns: No, it’s not the tag line to the latest slasher/comedy/zombie film. This is a genuine Christmas tradition in the American state of Arizona. Since 2010 Arizona's Scottsdale Gun Club has hosted what may well be the oddest selfie opportunity of the holiday season - a snap of you with jolly old Saint Nick, and an AK-47. Club spokesman Ron Kennedy said in 2011: "People decide to celebrate the holidays in unique ways. Some choose to do it with Santa at the mall, others in front of their tree. Our members and customers like to do it with 'Santa and Machine Guns'." Santa’s Mailing Address & Postcode: Just in case you haven’t gotten your wish list off to Santa yet, thanks to the Canadian postal system, we’ve got his address right here for you. Send your letters to: Santa Claus, North Pole, Canada, HOHOHO. Seriously, the postcode is “HOHOHO”. How cool is that?! Any letters received bearing this address are not only opened - they're also replied to! So, there’s just a few of the more “unique” holiday traditions that we’ve discovered. We’d love to hear about some special holiday traditions that you know about or have celebrated. Tell us in the comments section below. #santaclaus #hohoho #christmas #holidays #krampus #germany #austria #venezula #rollerskating #KFC #kentuckyfriedchicken #japan #yulelog #spain #catalan #whales #auk #cats #donaldduck #disney #sweden #radish #mexico #arizona #canada #northpole #anyhigh

Is it Football? Is it Soccer? With the finals of the FIFA World Cup happening in just a few days, this seemed like a good time to take a look at the sport, its history, and what in the world we should call it. First off, the name. Known to most of the world as ‘football’, the beautiful game is almost exclusively referred to as soccer in the United States, but many people would be surprised to learn that that moniker actually originated across the pond. Modern soccer (or football) was born in 1863 when representatives from several English schools and clubs got together to standardize a single set of rules for their matches. They dubbed their new organization the Football Association, and their version of the game became known as “Association Football”. The word ‘soccer’ comes from a slang abbreviation of the word association, which British players of the day adapted as “assoc”, “assoccer” and eventually soccer or soccer football. (The habit of adding “er” to nicknames in British vernacular is attributed to Oxford students of that period and can be found in other sporting slang such as “rugger” for rugby). Both names, soccer and football (or a combination of the two – soccer football), were used pretty much interchangeably to refer to association football well into the 20th century, at which time “football” emerged as the dominant name in most parts of the world. But in countries where another form of football was already popular – such as America and Australia – the name soccer stuck around. So, just to avoid any confusion or bias, for the rest of today’s blog post we will use the term “futbol” (that’s Spanish!). Futbol is the world’s most popular sport. It’s a game that’s been around, in one form or another, for a very long time. Records trace its history back more than 2,000 years to ancient China. Greece, Rome and parts of Central America also claim to have started the sport, but it was England that transitioned futbol into the game we know today. Here’s a brief crash course in its history: Now that we’re up to date, let’s talk a bit about FIFA and the World Cup. In 1904, the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was founded in Paris. FIFA is the governing body of international futbol, and it was created to oversee the organization of the sport around the world. Today, there are more member countries of FIFA (211) than there are members of the United Nations (193). While the United Nations recognizes only sovereign countries that prove legitimacy, FIFA gives leeway to dominions, unrecognized countries and territories to compete. The World Cup, which takes place every four years, was first held in 1930 and it was won by Uruguay. This month-long event is a spectacle unlike any other and brings together the best teams and players from around the globe. But the World Cup isn’t just about the futbol. It’s also about the atmosphere and the culture that surrounds the event. It has become a celebration of the world’s diverse cultures, with fans from all over the globe coming together to support their teams, showing an enthusiasm that’s not even matched by the Olympics. Here's a few random, hopefully entertaining, facts about futbol: In China, the first futbol balls were made from sewn clothing that was filled with rubble. In Europe during the Middle Ages, futbol balls were made from inflated pig bladders. Lutz Pfannenstiel is the only professional futbol player to play on a team in all six continents. (Antarctica, the seventh continent, currently has no active teams in competition) Futbol helped to end a civil war. After scoring the goal that sent Ivory Coast to its first World Cup, in 2006, Didier Drogba recorded a video urging the warring factions to put down their arms and make peace. To support the players, the factions decided to lay down their arms, ending the civil war. One of the earliest women’s futbol teams was founded by Nettie Honeyball (no, seriously). In 1895 she founded the British Ladies’ Football Club. The futbol stadium with the largest seating capacity (about 114,000) in the world is the Rungrado 1st of May stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea. The black and white “Telstar” ball was designed by Adidas. Its black and white design was to make the ball easier to see on television back in the day when most people only had a black and white tv. Today, more than 55% of futbol balls are made in just one place – Sialkot, Pakistan. Out of the 21 World Cup tournaments, only eight countries have won the trophy. Brazil = five times; Germany and Italy have four wins each; Argentina, Uruguay and France have won two titles each with Spain and England laying claim to one title each. So, whether you’re a die-hard futbol fan or someone who just enjoys a good game, the World Cup is definitely worth a watch. It’s a celebration of the world’s most popular sport, and a great way to experience the excitement and drama of... Tell us if you’re a futbol/football/soccer fan or player and if you’ve ever had the chance to experience the World Cup in person in the comments below. #football #futbol #soccer #pele #worldcup #qatar #fifa #adidas #unitednations #anyhigh

December 3rd was the 30th birthday of something that has become near and dear to most of us. Something that most of us do every day, indeed multiple times a day. And probably none of us even bothered to send a card (though a text might have been more appropriate). Because, on December 3, 1992 the very first text message on a mobile phone was sent. Neil Papworth, a Vodafone engineer in the United Kingdom, sent a simple two-word message to his boss – “Merry Christmas”. He did not get a reply. In the 30 years since SMS (Short Message Service) text messaging has been in use, messaging technology has expanded exponentially. And while users today have a wide range of choices and apps to choose from, SMS still holds an important place in our everyday lives, even among Gen Z. At its peak, phone users exchanged billions of SMS messages every year, and they’re still going strong. 20% of people still use SMS as their default messaging platform. According to Statistic Brain, today 18.7 billion texts are sent worldwide every day, this doesn’t include app-to-app messaging. WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger combine for more than 60 billion messages sent every day. Originally, an SMS could only be text, up to 160 characters long. The concept was born in the early 1980’s but it was almost 10 years before one would be sent to a mobile device. The idea of creating a network for sending and receiving short messages between cell phones came to Matti Makkonen a few years earlier, in 1984, while he was eating pizza with his friends in Copenhagen. (Matti never filed a patent for his idea, and therefore received no money for this invention). At the beginning, the SMS was intended for internal communication of companies, not for the general public. It was in 1997 that mobile operators offered the first SMS services for individuals. And the original 160 character limit happened because a German researcher wrote a series of messages on his typewriter, then counted the characters in each message. He determined that 160 was a “perfectly sufficient” length. In 2012, Norwegian Frode Ness made it into the Guinness Book of World Records by recording the fastest time for writing a 160 character text – 34.65 seconds. Text messaging is now the most used data service in the world. Some interesting/amazing texting facts and figures, courtesy of Experian Marketing: The average adult spends 23 hours a week texting America is responsible for approximately 45% of the world’s text volume Texting takes up 33% of Millennials’ mobile usage College students spend 94 minutes a day texting, on average About 50% of adults 18-24 say text conversations are just as meaningful as a phone call 7% of people asked said they have been dumped via text message. So, texting has come a long way in the last 30 years (the verb “texting” was entered into the dictionary in 2010). This made us wonder what else was happening in 1992: AT&T introduced the video phone, IBM developed the first smartphone, and the 10 millionth cell phone was sold. About one million computers worldwide had Internet access, and there were 10 websites online by the end of the year. President George H. W. Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin jointly announced that the Cold War had ended (oh well…….) The cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad was $850,000. (In 2022, a Super Bowl commercial cost $223,000 per second.) Johnny Carson made his last appearance as host of The Tonight Show. What country are you from and how often do you still text today? Tell us about your best (or otherwise) texting experiences in the comments. #sms #text #happybirthday #anniversary #vodafone #neilpapworth #genz #whatsapp #facebook #messenger #copenhagen #pizza #statisticbrain #experian #guinessbookofworldrecords #att #ibm #georgehwbush #borisyeltsin #superbowl #johnnycarson #thetonightshow #anyhigh

We all live for a time. We all die eventually. It’s the stuff that happens in-between that’s interesting. Tombstones often skip over that in-between stuff entirely, reducing a life to a name and two dates. Every so often, however, a tombstone will offer some more interesting – and sometimes darkly funny – insight into who that person was and how they impacted the lives of those around them. At Anyhigh.life we’re all about happiness and we encourage laughter at the dark jokes on these tombstones we discovered because, research shows that if you laugh at dark jokes then you’re probably a genius. Question: What has four legs and one arm? Answer: A happy pit bull. 156 people, with an average age of 33, participated in a research test to determine the correlation between sense of humor and intellect. The participants read 12 bleak cartoons from The Black Book by German cartoonist Uli Stein. The results were remarkably consistent: participants who both comprehended and enjoyed the dark humor jokes showed higher IQs, reported less aggressive tendencies, and were more emotionally stable and laid back than those who did not. The participants who least liked the humor showed the highest levels of aggression and the worst moods of the bunch. The latter point makes sense when you consider the widely studied health benefits of laughter and smiling; if you can’t greet negativity with playful optimism, then you’re just gonna feel worse. Question: Why don’t cannibals eat clowns? Answer: Because they taste funny. That emotional maneuvering is what sets dark humor jokes apart from puns for example. Puns literally pit your brain’s right and left hemispheres against each other while you process a single word’s multiple meanings. But puns usually don’t force you out of your emotional comfort zone. Tina Fey sums up the difference pretty well: “If you want to make an audience laugh, you dress a man up like an old lady and push her down the stairs. If you want to make comedy writers laugh, you push an actual old lady down the stairs.” A wise person once said, “We’re not here for a long time, we’re here for a good time”. With that in mind, here’s a few tombstones we thought might bring a smile to the faces of some of our blog readers today…… “Cats have nine lives. Makes them ideal for experimentation.” —Jimmy Carr “If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving definitely isn’t for you.” —Steven Wright. #laughter #humor #darkhumor #tombstones #cemetary #graves #jokes #ulistein #stevecarell #tinafey #jimmycarr #stevenwright #anyhigh

One of the biggest holidays in the United States is happening this Thursday – Thanksgiving. This annual holiday, also celebrated in Canada, celebrates the harvest, and is supposedly modeled on 1621 harvest feast shared by English colonists and the native Wampanoag tribe at Plymouth in what is now the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The focus of the modern Thanksgiving celebration could be debated. For some it’s about watching American football - all day long. For others it’s about drinking copious quantities of beer - all day long. For most, it’s about overeating – all day long. And when it comes to overeating, for nearly all, the main focus is the turkey. (Well, maybe not that turkey…) So, we thought this holiday of excess would be a good excuse for us to take a quick look at “the turkey”. The turkey is a large bird native to North America. The earliest turkeys evolved over 20 million years ago. They share a common ancestor with grouse, pheasants and other fowl. The wild turkey..... was domesticated approximately 2,000 years ago. Although native to North America, the turkey probably got its name from the domesticated variety being imported to Britain in ships coming from the Levant. The British at the time associated the bird with the country Turkey and the name stuck. Some turkey trivia for you: In 2021 there were more than 216 million turkeys on farms across the U.S. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the heaviest turkey ever weighed in at 86 lbs. (39 kg). A baby turkey is called a “poult”. A male turkey is called a “tom” and a female is called a “hen”. According to the National Turkey Federation, the average turkey has around 3500 feathers. A wild turkey can fly at speeds up to 55 mph (88 kph). It has become a tradition for the sitting U.S. President to “pardon” the White House turkey every thanksgiving. It’s disputed when this actually started, some saying President Lincoln granted “clemency” to a turkey in 1863, but really become a holiday tradition when President Kennedy pardoned a turkey on November 19, 1963, stating “Let’s keep him going”. So, if you're lucky enough to be the right turkey in the right place at the right time, you’re guaranteed a pretty good retirement plan, compliments of the U.S. government. Now, we do understand that there are some out there who would be giving us the bird after reading this. Some who believe that all birds in the United States were exterminated by the federal government between 1959 and 1971, and replaced by lookalike drones used by the government to spy on citizens. Of course we absolutely respect their right to their opinion (indeed, we devoted an earlier blog post to their movement), but when it comes to turkeys at thanksgiving, all we can say is - if they really are drones, then they are absolutely the tastiest drones we’ve ever come across! #thanksgiving #turkey #poultry #unitedstates #canada #football #beer #wildturkey #whiskey #britain #guinnessbookofworldrecords #whitehouse #kennedy #johnson #nixon #trump #obama #birdsarentreal