Six cool things

Here’s 6 cool things that might not warrant a post by themselves, but are worth taking a look at.

  1. First up is this Thanksgiving Menu at the Plaza Hotel in New York City (1899). Menus are fascinating to me not only because they show the food being enjoyed from a certain era, but how menus are written up tell us something about how we think about dining. (Also amazing to see most of those items are under a dollar.)
  2. Staying in the past, here’s a fun piece on Saying No Gracefully, Victorian Style – by Amy Stewart. We no longer take the time to say no gracefully: perhaps we should. The next time you are using AI to write a rejection letter, consider asking for it in the Victorian way. 🙂
  3. Something else that is moving into the past: Longwave. The BBC did a story on it, here. I used to love longwave radio as a kid. Before there was an internet, longwave radio let you reach out and find out what was happening in the world.
  4. Moving to the present, this truly is… A Delightfully Tactile Stop-Motion Music Video Pieces Together 300 Ceramic Tiles. Definitely worth a look.
  5. Also in the present is this David Byrne: Tiny Desk Concert featuring David Byrne over at NPR.
  6. Last but not least, here’s a piece on the future: 23 Ways You’re Already Living in the Chinese Century over at  WIRED.

Who are the most polite people in the world?

New Yorkers, of course!

Having been to New York a number of times, I would say that while New Yorkers can be gruff, I have found them to be some of the most well mannered citizens that I have met. I wasn’t surprised to see that they came out on top.

As someone who lives in Toronto, I was also happy to see us come in third.

The article appeared in the Canadian edition of Reader’s Digest, which may be why there is more of a Canadian angle to the story. But it is global, and it is worth reading.

See How Polite Are We?

(Pointer from andrewSullivan.com)