This story takes us back to Stagg Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn back in 1925, and it involves the police, their mascot, and several stray cats apprehended by them. A fight broke out between the ruler of the territory at the time, a Tom cat named Spark Plug, and the perceived intruders of his domain. And as soon as the nasty scratching ensued, the police officers had to intervene, locking the strays into cells and bringing Spark Plug in the detective's room until the strays could be taken by the SPCA.

How did this whole fiasco begin with, you ask? It was all because of the empty lots on Scholes Street which had become a literal garbage dump, with people throwing old mattresses, food scraps, and all sorts of garbage, which attracted the rats scrounging for food, and thus attracting all the stray cats in Williamsburg. Despite actions from the local authorities, the rats and cats were not kept at bay, so when the people in the neighborhood had had enough, they asked the local police to step in. And so, for a time, the Stagg Street police officers became cat catchers.

Spark Plug, not being informed that such a thing was happening, was equally shocked and appalled by the presence of these uninvited guests into his domain. And that's how it all went down. For more on the history of Stagg Street Police Station and the Williamsburg Houses in 1937, visit Hatching Cat NYC.

(Image credit: Hatching Cat NYC)

Last time, we looked at a TikTok trend that had something to do with beauty standards and the canthal tilt. There's a new TikTok trend that's emerging at the moment, and it's called "skin streaming", wherein people reduce the number of steps in their skin care routine down to the bare essentials.

You may have heard of 7-step routines or even 10-step routines, but some dermatologists share some concerns about putting too many products on your face. There are cases when products will negate the effects of another, or worse, they might cause a severe allergic reaction when two ingredients mix. So, there may be some credit to streamlining one's skin care routine. But what are the most essential products in your skin care arsenal?

There are three basic skin care products according to dermatologists: a cleanser, a moisturizer, and sunscreen. The roles of each are straightforward. You have one to remove dirt, sebum, or any dead skin cells, another to restore your skin's moisture barrier and maintain its pH balance, and the last to protect your skin from the harsh UV rays when you go outside. All other products that you wish to add depends on what you want to target specifically.

For some suggestions on what products you can add, or if you want to simplify your routine even more, check out this article from Huffington Post.

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Generally, I like to think the best of people and believe in humanity. But there are just those instances when people cannot suppress their mean side, especially when they're dealing with customer service. I have had some experience handling customers over the phone, so I know the struggles and the stress of dealing with irate customers and customers from every walk of life with whatever concern or inquiry they might have. But these eight experiences from retail staff, particularly at clothing stores, are probably some of the meanest and rudest I have read.

Personally, I understand what retail staff and customer service employees go through, so I try to be the most pleasant and agreeable customer I can be despite whatever issue I might have with the service or whatever mood I may have at the time. Those people have feelings too, and they're just trying to do the best they can at their job. And it's just the right thing to do, to not be an entitled customer and get along with all sorts of people.

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Super Mario is a cultural icon. The original Super Mario Bros. was first released in 1985 and 38 years later, it's still as popular as ever with a new game for 2023, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and another movie adaptation this year, The Super Mario Bros. Movie (apparently, there were previous film adaptations of the video game franchise, but this year probably has the best graphics of them all).

With all the different versions, sequels, and remakes of Super Mario, Polygon looked into the five most popular games in the franchise, and curated the fastest speedrun for each game. I have only played the original and sadly, I haven't even been able to finish that one yet. But, guess how long it took the fastest speedrunner to finish the original? It was 4m 54s 631ms., which was accomplished on September 5th, 2023.

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Out of all the human activities that have damaged or significantly altered wildlife habitats, entire ecosystems, and nature's way of life, roads seem to be the least innocuous and least relevant. However, Ben Goldfarb, an environmental journalist, would like to make the case of how our roads have drastically changed and shaped nature.

Come to think of it, in order to pave roads, the natural environment needed to be transformed as well. A portion of forests had to be cut down, mountains had to be carved, and land had to be leveled to build roads. Even if we don't change the entire landscape or habitats, Goldfarb writes that it still affects the ecosystem in other ways such as animal migration patterns, food sources, population dynamics, and even soundscapes. And of course, there's the occasional roadkill.

Goldfarb explores all this in his new book titled Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. M.R. O'Connor writes a short review of the book on Undark.

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That is according to Michael Thomas from The Atlantic. For those who may not be familiar with what e-bikes are, or how they work, here's the quick gist: an electric bike is a bicycle equipped with an electric motor, whose function is two-fold - one, it may assist the rider in adding power to their pedalling, or two, it can provide a throttle mechanism, turning it essentially into something of a moped. And now, you might be wondering whether downgrading your car to an e-bike would be the right decision. Michael Thomas has already made that move and he thinks it's one of the best ways you can improve your life.

First, there is the financial aspect. An e-bike doesn't require maintenance costs rivalling that of a car. Insurance is not that much either, and since the bike is electrically-powered, fuel is replaced with electricity costs, which won't make that much of a dent in your bank account. Second, it's a great way to exercise. Going to work on a bike may sound like an unpleasant means of transportation, but he also found that due to the propulsion technology of the e-bike, you don't always have to break into a sweat. Third, it's surprisingly enjoyable. Being able to feel the breeze through your hair, seeing the sights as you pass them by, and just living in and soaking in the moment makes it worthwhile.

Of course, he also admitted that it won't always be the best means of transportation for all circumstances. Road safety may be one concern especially if there are no dedicated bike lanes in the area, and if people generally don't care about cyclists. But still, it is something worth considering. Besides, it's a great way to get around traffic. -via Kottke

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The concept of black holes was first thought of by Albert Einstein in 1916, and the term itself was coined only half a century later by American astronomer John Wheeler. It was a few years before that, in 1964, when the first black hole was discovered, Cygnus X-1, and we have been trying to study black holes ever since. To summarize what we know about black holes so far, XKCD created this lovely table for comparison between black holes and regular holes. - via Kottke

(Image credit: XKCD)

The definition of taxidermy is supposedly the art of preserving an animal's body for the purpose of displaying it such as in museums or as part of a rich person's collection. However, everybody makes mistakes, even taxidermists. It's just, when they do, it turns into some kind of horror exhibit. Sad and Useless has collected several taxidermy fails which might actually be the stuff of anyone's nightmares. To be honest, though, I actually found these photos quite amusing, funny even.

They also have a book of these taxidermy fails called Crap Taxidermy as well as a calendar. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did.

Here are a few examples that I have trouble imagining whether they were accidental or intentional in the first place.

Here's a googly-eyed feline creature. I'm not sure whether it's a lynx or a caracal.

And this other one is a bobcat, which I wouldn't have known without the clue from the plaque right next to it.

(Image credit: Sad and Useless)

First of all, what's a fairy ring? It's a circle of mushrooms which can sometimes surround patches of dead grass inside them. Fairies are said to dance inside the circle of mushrooms, thus giving it its name. However, the explanation for fairy rings is quite simpler and less fantastical. Certain fungi cause the emergence of these fairy rings as they feed on dead organic matter in the soil.

The reason why fairy rings are circular in shape is that the original spore usually starts at the center of the ring, and it spreads horizontally on all sides. Sometimes, mushrooms grow on the edges of the ring, as a part of the fungus. If you wonder whether these fairy rings should be eradicated or not due to their nature of feeding on the grass, fungal experts suggest not to go through the trouble as it would require scooping out the soil where the fairy ring lays. Since it doesn't necessarily harm anything outside its scope, it's best to leave it as is.

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Out of all the things that I never ever want to see inside my house or elsewhere, rats probably top that list. Rats are very notorious among people because they are thought to be disease-ridden, food-thieving pests that destroy human properties. What's more, they reproduce very quickly and so the spread of diseases through infestations can get out of hand in the blink of an eye, just as it did in mid-14th century Europe when the Black Death pandemic ravaged through ports, towns, and cities. However, research suggests that the cause of the bubonic plague wasn't actually rats.

Epidemiologists looked at the probability that the spread of the bubonic plague was caused by rats and the parasites that clinged to them, fleas. However, studies have tried to argue that the transmission, demographics, lack of rat corpses, and climate conditions during the time in mid-14th century Europe point to the fact that rats would not have been the likeliest cause of the black death plague, and some researchers have suggested that human fleas and lice were the culprits, as the spread of the disease were more consistent with those as the carriers.

Other researchers have also looked into the behavior of rats in connection with their risk of disease to coincide with these findings. Chelsea Himsworth, a veterinary pathologist and epidemiologist studied rats in Vancouver and found that rats were more likely to stick to one side or the other of alleys which meant that they generally do not spread diseases in the way we perceive. Not only that, but the idea that rats are filthy is actually a misconception as rats were very meticulous when it comes to cleanliness according to one scientist.

So, perhaps rats aren't that bad after all, and not just those we see in cartoons and films.

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We hear that for one to become successful, you must give it your all, 100% and with that hard work and effort, you'll be able to achieve many things. I don't know about you, but giving my all in everything that I do, has often led to my being burnt out quicker than I would expect. At least, because I don't feel rewarded enough for the effort, at some point, I start to lose motivation and stop giving any effort at all. So, perhaps this 85% rule, which states that the best way to maintain a balance between excellent performance and excellent output is to work at 85% of your capacity. Then, what do you do with the remaining 15%?

Well, you can use that to take a rest, and refresh yourself so that you'll be able to give it your 85% once again, the next day. However, there are some people who think that it's a preposterous paradigm, and a general waste of productivity. Managers, entrepreneurs, and businessmen probably would think that the only way for them to continue expanding their business is to always give it 100%, otherwise, it might collapse. On the other hand, employees would definitely want to have leeway and space for them to slack off a bit, and take a break from the stresses of work.

Whichever camp you may be on, I think it all boils down to what kind of job or career path fits well with your paradigm, perspective, and values. I was once told by a hiring manager that for a company to survive or keep going, there must always be at least one person who concerns themselves much with the business affairs of the company. It seems inspiring but it's just one way of saying sacrifices have to be made for the company, and it doesn't matter if you will sacrifice your personal life, your family, your relationships, or even your dream, as long as the company stays afloat, then you put all your passion into it. Hopefully, in the long run, it pays off. What are your thoughts on the matter?

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Planning an itinerary usually goes hand-in-hand with going on a trip, and as someone who used to like sticking to plans, I often got frustrated when things don't go as planned. As I got older, I realized that the fun is in the mystery or the unexpected. So I learned to go along the ride and see where it takes me. And I have been able to enjoy wonderful adventures stress-free because of it. Research has also found that the element of surprise is actually beneficial to our overall wellbeing.

This, of course, not only applies to traveling, although having a great, big adventure filled with unexpected twists and turns can definitely be stressful at times, but it actually makes it all the more worthwhile and memorable. We can learn to live more freely by not being confined to what feels comfortable for us. And studies have shown that surprises or unexpected events in our lives can improve happiness, relationships, mental health, work, and more.

Of course, there are certain surprises that may be too much for us to handle, but I think as long as we are able to roll with the punches, we can get out of whatever sticky situation or circumstance we find ourselves in, and learn much from it as well. That is what Dennis Lewon has discovered in his adventures, and continues to live by as well. So, as the saying goes, live a little, and you might find something great from the surprises that await you.

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The official Youtube channel of One Piece has announced that, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the show, the channel will be streaming the entire series on Youtube starting October 29th. For one whole year, you can watch One Piece non-stop from the first episode until the latest episode count which is episode 1080. For anybody who may not have access to streaming sites like Crunchyroll or Netflix, this would be the best way to finally start binging the series and get on that One Piece hype train.

The video announcement titled Anytime One Piece cannot be viewed by audiences outside of Japan, however, we can assume that the live stream will be available to everyone around the world who would like to have a marathon of the show. Apart from the 25th anniversary of the show, the manga will be entering its final saga and supposedly the end of the entire series.

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A popular health trend over the past several years has been walking at least 10,000 steps a day, which many say can do wonders for your heart. Definitely, it's great cardio, especially for people who may not have the time to go to the gym or do any more strenuous exercise. But researchers now say that there's a simpler alternative to walking 10,000 steps, and might be just as effective if not more than aerobics. That would be climbing up more than five flights of stairs or around 50 steps a day.

If you have ever tried walking up ten floors of your office building, you'll know how tiring it gets. Before you even reach your floor, you'll already be gasping for air. But the study has shown that people who regularly climbed five to ten flights of stairs were at least 3% less likely to develop atherosclerosis. Of course, there may have been other factors that contributed to their health such as diet, sleep, and other lifestyle habits. But incorporating exercise, even simple ones, into your daily routine definitely aided in reducing the likelihood of developing such diseases.

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The story of Frank Abagnale was quite a thrilling one. Immortalized in the film Catch Me If You Can, we see the life of Frank as a con artist, and how he was able to deceive people into believing that he was this or that, jumping from one profession to the other as a means to survive. Later on, he is caught and was offered the opportunity to work for the FBI Financial Crimes Unit. It's a very interesting true-to-life story. There is a Scottish version of it, which has been made into a documentary in 2022 titled My Old School.

It's the story of how a 30-year-old man named Brian MacKinnon conned his high school into thinking that he was a 16-year-old high schooler named Brandon Lee. His reason for doing it was so that he could go back to university and continue pursuing his dreams of becoming a doctor. None of his classmates or teachers had realized his true identity until a few years later. Jono McLeod, an old classmate of his, decided to make a film about him and his time at Bearsden Academy, so he had an audio interview with "Brandon" 20 years later as well as interviews with other former classmates, and turned it into a documentary about the most successful hoaxer in Scottish history.

(Video credit: Magnolia Pictures & Magnet Releasing/Youtube)