Everybody’s Talking

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Plastic roads: A Singapore-based start-up is transforming how plastic waste is managed by turning it into materials for building roads. Using innovative technology, plastic waste, including contaminated materials like hospital disposables, is processed into NEWBitumen, an alternative to conventional road materials. This innovation has already diverted significant amounts of plastic from incineration, including through a project that used NEWBitumen to pave a green driveway. By offering a sustainable solution to the plastic waste crisis, the

initiative highlights how industries can reduce reliance on natural resources. It proves that one person’s trash can truly become another’s pathway forward.

Waterway wonder: Near Haunaut, Belgium, the Sart Canal Bridge masterfully blends into the landscape, making its engineering brilliance easy to overlook. Spanning 498 meters (1,634 ft.), this impressive structure serves as both a road and a waterway, supporting a canal that transports massive quantities of water. Built on challenging terrain, the bridge stands strong and durable with innovative construction techniques. Part of the Canal du Centre, it connects major waterways and facilitates both cargo and passenger movement, boosting regional efficiency. Beyond its utility, it has become a popular spot for tourists, offering stunning views, and a testament to human ingenuity. Sometimes, even bridges make waves.

Time painter: Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport features a unique art installation: a clock where the time appears to be painted by hand. Created by Dutch designer Maarten Baas as part of his “Real Time” series, the piece uses video to show a man in overalls meticulously painting and wiping the clock’s hands minute by minute. The clock hangs prominently in the airport lounge, blending functional design with performance art, and capturing the attention of millions of travelers each year. With its red bucket, yellow cloth, and subtle nods to Dutch art icons, the piece invites travelers to reflect on the passage of time in a new, thought- provoking way. In this airport, watching the clock has never been so fascinating.

Desert blooms: South Africa’s Namaqualand turns into a breathtaking sea of flowers after winter rains. The once-barren land comes alive with bright orange, pink, and yellow blooms, creating a stunning and temporary natural wonder admired by many. This region hosts countless unique plants, including tough annuals that quickly grow and scatter seeds, and hardy bulb plants that spring to life after lying dormant underground for months. Known for its exceptional variety of bulb flowers, Nieuwoudtville is a standout spot to witness this vibrant transformation, earning it the title of a true floral paradise for avid nature enthusiasts, botanists, and photographers worldwide.

Quoteable Quotes

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“The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved.”

—Victor Hugo

“Gentleness is stronger than severity, water is stronger

than rock, love is stronger than force.”

—Herman Hesse

What’s Happening

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Trivia

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1. Copenhagen is the capital of _____.

2. Who wrote the books in the Bridgerton Series?

3. What is a group of leopards called?

4. This woman predicted the fall of Troy.

5. A plant transforms light energy into chemical energy by this process.

Trivia answers at the bottom of the page!

Your Weekly Horoscope

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Lucky numbers this week: This week’s odds favor Leo winners with the luckiest number being 7.

Did You Know...

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Frozen pain: Brain freeze, scientifically known as sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, happens when cold food chills the mouth’s roof. Rapid blood vessel changes trigger pain signals, creating quick, sharp headaches often felt in the forehead or temples.

Iconic improv: The famous “I’m king of the world!” line in Titanic was not in the original movie script. At director James Cameron’s suggestion, Leonardo DiCaprio shouted it during filming. The moment became a memorable highlight.

Combat queens: Female fighters known as Gladiatrix brought unique excitement to Roman games, battling wild beasts or skilled opponents. Trained similarly to male gladiators, they defied societal norms and thrilled audiences with daring combat.

Message milestone: Email as we know it today was invented in 1971 when Ray Tomlinson created a way to send messages between computers. He used the now-famous @ symbol, regarding it as nothing more than a fun experiment.

Sack chic: During the Great Depression, families turned flour and feed sacks into

clothing. Companies caught on, printing sacks with pretty patterns, making them

a surprising blend of necessity and fashion in tough times.

On the Lighter Side

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Knock! Knock! Who’s there? Fitzwilliam. Fitzwilliam who? This sweater Fitzwilliam better than me.

How do you put an astronaut to sleep? You rocket.

If the lightning scares you, don’t worry. It’s over in a flash.

Did you hear about the nuclear physicist who had too many ions in the fire?

Mother: “Why are you selling mudpies?”

Daughter: “I want to get filthy rich.”