Today's Dippit!

Quote

"Knowing thyself is the height of wisdom." 

Socrates 

Joke

It is evening. Little Johnny and his friend are sitting by a camp fire.

 They’ve been plagued by swarms of mosquitoes already for an hour and the assault only worsens when the darkness sets in.

 Suddenly, fireflies appear. Little Johnny swears: “These darn mosquitoes! Now they’ve even brought lanterns with them to find us!“

Fun Fact

Copper door knobs are self-disinfecting.

Copper and its alloys, such as brass, have long been popular materials for manufacturing door knobs. It turns out, this may not just because the metal's hue makes it look nice. In fact, the material has been found to kill bacteria. According to one study from the National College of Kathmandu in Nepal, "the metal ions denature protein of the target cells by binding to reactive groups resulting in their precipitation and inactivation. The high affinity of cellular proteins for the metallic ions results in the death of the cells due to cumulative effects of the ion within the cells." In other words, brass sterilizes the bacteria that can build up from all those (potentially unwashed) hands that grip it.

Reading Fact

Reading can transport readers to different times and places, allowing them to explore new worlds and perspectives.

History Fact

Paul Revere Never Actually Shouted, "The British Are Coming!"

While everyone knows the story of Revere's famous ride in which he was said to have warned colonial militia of the approaching enemy by yelling "The British are coming!" This is actually false. According to History.com, the operation was meant to be quiet and stealthy, since British troops were hiding out in the Massachusetts countryside. Also, colonial Americans still considered themselves to be British.

Movie/TV Trivia

Ripley’s daughter in the Special Edition of Aliens is played by Sigourney Weaver’s mum.

Movie/TV Quote

"You had me at hello."

Jerry Maguire, 1996

"It was a straight-up tip of the hat to Billy Wilder and the last line of The Apartment," says writer-director Cameron Crowe. "I always loved it when Shirley MacLaine said to Jack Lemmon, 'Shut up and deal.' It was the favorite last line to any movie in my family growing up. We loved it. So for Jerry Maguire, I wanted Renee to just cut him off and say it. The actual full line is, 'Shut up — you had me at hello.' It's pretty much a rule of thumb for every screenwriter: Billy Wilder will never steer you wrong."

Conversation Starter

What do I do that makes you smile?

Writing Prompt

Do You Ever Write About Challenges You Face in Life?