ODDS, ENDS & INSPIRATION

z American astronomer Carl Sagan made the following sage observation: “The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.” z It’s not clear why lawmakers in the state of Alabama once thought it necessary to pass a law forbidding the operation of a vehicle while wearing a blindfold. z Though coffee has been around for about 700 years, instant coffee wasn’t invented until 1906. By George Washington. Not the US president ‘George Washington’. The man who made coffee more convenient – and less palatable – was from Belgium. z Gunnedah has long claimed to be the “Koala Capital of the World” however the local newspaper noted in recent years that the title may be at risk, given the area’s koala population is “believed to be plummeting”.

z According to researchers, you’ll eat about 35,000 biscuits in your lifetime.

z American authorities say that 70 per cent of southern Nevada’s water use goes through the sprinklers for golf courses and lawns in Las Vegas.

z It’s not surprising that the word “fondue” comes from the French verb “fondre”, which means “to melt”.

z Do you know anyone who is xanthodontous? If so, you might want to refer them to someone specialising in cosmetic dentistry. “Xanthodontous” means “having yellow teeth”.

NOW HERE’S A TIP

z Kids’ holiday tip: Create an “I’m Bored” jar with ideas about things to do. Now when that phrase inevitably comes up, you’ll be ready with a quick solution. z This tip takes the pain out of a task nobody likes: dusting the blinds! Use a set of salad tongs for a blinds duster; just wrap a microfiber cloth around each of the tongs and secure it with a rubber band or two. Then use the tongs to grab and glide along each blind. Even kids can get behind this dusting job. z “Tacos are a favourite meal in our house, but very messy – until we discovered a great use for coffee filters. We use a filter to hold the taco and peel back the paper as we eat. Now nothing drips out or falls out, even if the shell cracks!” – E.B.

z “We like juice at home, and the kind we like has a large mouth on the bottle. It turns out that after we finish the juice, the bottle makes a great storage container for snacks. We clean and dry it, then fill it with cereals or dry pasta. We’ve even used them for popcorn.” – R.K.

z Recipe substitution: For 1 cup of tomato juice, use 1/2 cup of tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup of water.

z If you have dry, cracked heels from wearing thongs and sandals too often, apply a layer of petroleum jelly to your feet before bed and cover with socks. If you can’t sleep with socks, do this in the evening, maybe while watching TV. It will soften the hard skin after a week or so – sooner depending on how dry your feet are.