STRANGE BUT TRUE

• It was beloved poet William Wordsworth, best know for helping to launch the Romantic age in English literature, who made the following sage observation: “The best portion of a good man’s life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.”

• The world’s largest bird, the ostrich, may not be able to fly, but that doesn’t mean its wings are useless. As the fastest bird on land, the ostrich uses its wings for balance while slowing down and making turns as it runs at speeds of up to 45 mph.

• In 1994, a man named Robert Puelo started cursing and shouting at employees in a convenience store. When the employees (understandably) threatened to call the police, the man stole a hot dog and ran out. The police were called, and upon arrival, they discovered Puelo outside the store, unconscious and turning purple. Paramedics were called, but by the time they arrived, it was too late; the man had choked to death on his stolen sausage.

• Some gourmets claim that the most delicious meat they’ve ever eaten is roast monkey.

• Those who study such things say that when a man and a wom- an who have been romantically involved break up, the pair are more likely to remain friends if it’s the woman who initiated the split.

• You might be surprised to learn that light doesn’t always travel at the speed of light. In fact, light has been recorded traveling as slow as 38 mph.

• The word “widow” comes to modern English via the Old English word “wide we,” which in turn comes from a Sanskrit term meaning “empty.”

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Thought for the Day:

“The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.” — Madeleine L’Engle