X user Patrick Heizer brings to our attention this geographical oddity. Under the current law of the sea, nations have exclusive economic regulatory authority over a certain distance beyond their territorial seas.

Many of these claims overlap each other or lead to unusual borders for the exclusive economic zones. The Bering Sea Donut Hole refers to one such area that was heavily overfished in the 1980s. Several nations with large fishing fleets rejected American claims to the maritime region.

The Donut Hole Convention (as it was popularly but not officially called) is a 1994 treaty between the United States, Russia, Poland, Korea, Japan, and China determining the status of the area.

Yes, that's Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice with all words replaced with meows.

You may think it's a fun gag, but have you seen the state of public education these days? Many cats are functionally illiterate. Even those cats who can read at grade level aren't getting exposure to the classics.

Fortunately, the Meow Library is here to help. This organization has translated essential works from the Western canon into cat, including War and Peace, Crime and Punishment, The Odyssey, and the Constitution of the United States of America.

The organization also has a podcast for cats interested in engaging with serious literature.

For security reasons, many public performance venues do not allow people to bring in bags unless they are transparent. Accessory makers manufacture and sell specialized bags to accommodate this need.

Etsy seller Slater the Creatorr of Chattanooga, Tennessee offers an alternative: a clear plastic corset. In a video on Instagram, she demonstrates how to use it.

Around the year 480, Saint Brigid formed a convent in the town of Kildare in east central Ireland. The abbey and its compound was razed and rebuilt many times. The present structure, which includes a cathedral, dates to the Thirteenth Century and was restored in the late Nineteenth Century.

As well as serving as a Catholic house of worship, it is a popular tourist destination. Visitors will find that one corner has a hole reaching through the other side. This is called the Wishing Hole or Wishing Stone. The story goes that if you stick your arm through the hole, touch your shoulder, and make a wish, the wish will come true.

-via Maddie Smith | Photos: 瑞丽江的河水/TripAdvisor

Everything I know about Vermont I learned by watching Newhart, so this home for sale on Zillow fits in nicely to my mental image of the place. The four bedroom, two bedroom, four cell house was built in in 1880 and later served as the residence of the Essex County jailer until 1969.

Colossal introduces us to Helena Minginowicz, a Polish artist. Her oeuvre includes detailed human figures, sensuous nudes, and disposable objects in a throw-away world.

Ladies!! Did you know that some grocery stores in Finland have a pink basket that means you’re single and willing to be approached? Should we get these in the states?

Good morning X. pic.twitter.com/HUwGiewqJ7

— Richie Rich (@gofishh77) July 12, 2026

One of the first tasks when trying to secure a romantic partner is determing if the person of interest to you is available. Instagram user Roya Fox says that one signal of availability in Finland is to use a pink shopping basket.

Some of Fox's commenters share that in Spain, this signal is displayed by placing a pineapple in one's basket.

I love these ideas! Let's make it easier for people to find relationships.

-via Wilfred Reilly

A couple days ago, I mentioned some of the exotic and eccentric foods that will be available at the upcoming Iowa State Fair. Inventive dishes at state fairs is very much a Midwestern thing and Minnesota consistently offers competition, such as soft serve beer.

This year, the Minnesota State Fair takes place from August 27 to September 7 in St. Paul. The organization has already announced new foods that will be available, including a variety of dishes of Hmong and Vietnamese influence. I'm looking forward to the Butter Brew Mustache Pretzel, which is a traditional pretzel in the shape of a mustache--something that children would enjoy playing with. It's served with vanilla soft serve ice cream as a dip.

-via Nag on the Lake

One Instargam commenter quips, "The Ring but make it Renaissance." That's about right. Tanya Gomelskaya composes photorealistic paintings and sculptures that emerge from the canvas. It's not that the subject looks at the observer, but the subject pursues the observer beyond the frame of the canvas.

Most kisses in 30 seconds by a pair 😘 195 by Renato Bayma Gaia and Naiara Roberta Ribeiro de Marins 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/CnGeN0G8E8

— Guinness World Records (@GWR) July 10, 2026

I saw this tweet and immediately turned to my wife and proposed that we try to top this record. She rolled her eyes and went back to her book.

So I guess you could say things are getting pretty serious.

Mind you, we'll have serious competition. Renato Bayma Gaia kissed his girlfriend, Naiara Roberta Ribeiro de Marins, 195 times during a 30 second period. These Brazilians now carry a prestigious and decidedly romantic title.

Were you able to attend the wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce? No, well, were you able to acquire garbage from it?

No?

Well, I'm sorry, but you're now otu of luck. Yahoo! Finance tells us that Justin Cignac, an artist from Queens, collected garbage from the spectacle and then sold it to interested collectors for $25 per container.

Collecting and selling garbage is one of Cignac's core markets. He's been doing so with New York City garbage since 2001. People from all over the world are apparently interested in buying NYC trash, so he makes a good living from it.

-via Wesley Todd | Photo: Eva Rinaldi

The Iowa State Fair is taking place from August 13 to 23 in Des Moines. It is traditionally a venue for consuming deliciously unhealthy foods and engaging in unique contests.

Among the treats available will be butter-dipped soft serve ice cream. That is, as you might expect, soft serve ice cream that is briefly dipped in molten butter instead of chocolate. This is not a new invention (the above image is from last year), but the Iowa State Fair may be your first opportunity to enjoy it in addition to other exotic dishes.

The Des Moines Register has a list of 83 other foods that will be available, including Parmesan ice cream, banana cream fries, and peanut butter and jelly corn dogs.

Chloë of Odd Socks Cosplay and Frank Cleary of Frankie Doodles made this cosplay imagining fairy tale versions of Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy.

The Kermit is especially well-done, as his accessories include a lily pad shield and a blooming sword.

Photos: Event Horizon Cosplay

In the campy 1966-1968 Batman television series, the home of Bruce Wayne was referred to consistently as "Stately Wayne Manor." The exterior shots were of a mansion in Pasadena, California.

Deadline reports that this home is now for sale. Price at $32 million, it comes with 7 bedrooms, 3 full bathrools, 4 half-bathrooms, and 3 three-quarter bathroom.

What is a three-quarter bathroom? Apparently one with a toilet and a sink and either a shower or a bath, but not both.

The Zillow listing provide no photos of the Batcave, but that's probably because it's a secret. Lift up the head of the Shakespeare bust and push the button to access it.

-via Will Meugniot on Facebook

Do you see this lake? It's Yathkyed Lake in northern Canada.