In the News

Now that life is beginning to slow down a bit, you’re probably taking the time to look at the newspaper with your morning coffee and enjoying the luxury of reading articles in their entirety.  But while you were covered up with tax forms and e-file acknowledgements, you may have missed an interesting read or two.

Here are some newsworthy notes from the last few months that you might find interesting, and a few a little amusing:

• US-based researchers announced study results that indicate coffee can reduce the risk of depression, as long as the coffee is unsweetened.  Results indicate that those who drank four cans of soda a day were 20 percent more likely to be depressed than those who drank four cups of coffee.
• The Bullitt Foundation is working on a project they call The Bullitt Center, and believe it will be the “most energy-efficient commercial building in the world.” This 50,000 square foot building will be constructed in Seattle, Washington, and will include natural lighting, energy conservation, and green technology in its plans.
• The world’s longest domestic cat passed away after a yearlong battle with cancer.  Guinness World Records declared ‘Stewie the Cat’ the record holder when he measured 48.5 inches from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail. Stewie lived in Reno, Nevada.
• Clive Palmer, an Australian businessman, unveiled his plans for the Titanic II and insisted it would be ready to set sail on its maiden voyage in 2016.  It will mimic many features of the original Titanic but will have more lifeboats on the safety deck (whew!).  He also announced that some 40,000 people have expressed interest in the ship and have offered between $750,000 and $1 million for a ticket on the opening voyage. It will  sail from Southhampton, England to New York – the same route intended for the original Titanic when it sank in 1912.
• Nik Wallenda, a tightrope walker who safely made it across a 1,500-foot high wire over Niagara Falls in 2012, has announced his intent to walk across a wire 1,500 feet above the Colorado River and across the Grand Canyon.  And he plans to do so without a safety harness.  This daring feat is scheduled for June 2013.
• A family from New York was curious if the Chinese bowl they picked up at a garage sale several years ago might actually be valuable.  They paid $3 for the bowl and sold it to dealer from London for $2.2 million.  Turns out the 1,000-year-old bowl is from the Northern Sung Dynasty and there’s only one other bowl similar to its kind in existence.  It’s been part of a collection in a British museum for 60 years.
• An Asian elephant under the care of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was enjoying a little time outdoors in Tupelo, Mississippi when it was the victim of a drive-by shooting.  It was hit in the shoulder but was not seriously injured.
• Research shows that hot chocolate tastes best if drank from an orange mug.  Participants tasted four samples of hot chocolate in four different colored mugs – orange, red, white, and dark cream.  Results indicated that participants believed samples from the orange mugs tasted best, while the samples in the dark cream mugs smelled best.

Kenya Hoffart, Industry Writer