The annual Halloween study conducted by the National Retail Federation explores American holiday preparations. The findings indicate that people are going back to their pre-COVID-Halloween plans after two really unusual Halloweens. According to the survey, 69% of consumers say they will celebrate Halloween, up from 65% in 2021 and 58% in 2020. This number is similar to the 68% who did so in 2019.

The richest cat in the world according to Guinness World Records is Blackie. When his millionaire owner passed away he refused to recognize his family in his will and instead gave his 7-million-pound fortune to Blackie! We can’t believe that interesting cat fact!

Yes, you read that correctly. According to Sveaskog, forests cover around 57% of Sweden. That equates to 23 million hectares or roughly the size of the United Kingdom. The Swedish Forestry Act governs forest management in terms of both production and the environment. The Act, among other things, says that there is a responsibility to reestablish forest after it has been felled.

More people celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the US than in Mexico. An annual Chihuahua race is held to celebrate in Chandler, Arizona and Denver, Colorado.

Due to cost or a lack of infrastructure, 70–75 percent of the world still doesn't use toilet paper.

Roald Dahl, the world-famous children's author, was born in Cardiff in 1916. His best-selling books have sold over 250 million copies worldwide, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, and The BFG. Dahl lived in a Tudor home across the street from Llandaff Cathedral School, where he read his stories to the students.

The employee said black aprons are reserved for "coffee masters." Starbucks baristas have to become certified coffee masters to wear black aprons. Once they're approved by a manager, they have to learn basically everything there is to know about coffee before they can officially call themselves a coffee master. So, if you have a question about something specific, look for a barista in a black apron. 

Did you know that by increasing blood flow, exercise gives your skin a healthy glow? Sweating helps the body get rid of toxins and old skin cells while encouraging the growth of new ones. Use this opportunity to put your new TikTok dance routine into practise. Yes, dancing can result in clearer, healthier skin.

By the time Conan Doyle died [7 July 1930], Holmes was already a stage and cinema celebrity. His first picture, Sherlock Holmes Baffled, was released in 1900. The short, which was only a few seconds long, employed stop-motion camerawork to portray Holmes grappling with a burglar who continuously disappears and reappears in different parts of the room.

You could be well on your way to a healthier and longer life if you routinely fill your supermarket cart with a variety of vegetables.

The first version of a vision aid, known as a "reading stone," was invented 1000 years ago. It appeared to be a small magnifying glass. However, the first wearable vision aid is thought to have been invented in the thirteenth century by Italian Salvino D'Armante. So we can thank Italy for both a cool accessory and delicious food.

Stingrays bury their bodies in the sand when they sleep, leaving their protective barb protruding to keep themselves safe. It is advised that beachgoers perform the "stingray shuffle" in order to cause vibrations in the sand and alert stingrays to their presence because this can be problematic in areas where humans join the ocean.

The Mayans used innovative military techniques. During battles, they would toss hornet nests upon the advancing enemy.

Tuition expenses at the prestigious University of Geneva, for example, are 500 CHF every semester, or 1000 CHF for the whole academic year. This price range is common at public institutions, however more costly private universities are available. Still, when compared to universities in the United States, it's a steal!

The brain encodes odors received via the nostrils as originating from the nose but smells detected through the back of the throat activate regions of the brain linked with signals from the mouth. Because most taste involves odor going to olfactory receptors in your brain, it stands to reason that if you can't smell, you won't be able to taste anything at all. If you can't smell because of a head cold, smoking, drug side effects, or a broken nose, your olfactory receptors may be too damaged, obstructed, or inflamed to transmit signals up to your brain.

We know people who thrived in high school but fell apart in college when the workload was higher and they had to wash their own laundry, and people who were huge successes when they were single, but struggled mightily when they had to get their kids out of the house in the morning as well as themselves. It helps to recognize and plan for these extra stresses – and not beat yourself up when life gets harder.

It takes a particularly terrifying creep to inspire Hannibal Lecter, Norman Bates, and Leatherface, but that's what horrifying serial killer Ed Gein left behind. When he was apprehended and his house of horrors in Plainfield, Wisconsin, was discovered, police discovered masks and lampshades made of human skin, among other atrocities. His incredible depravity served as a source of creative inspiration.

In comparison to other cookware, earthen pots are heat-resistant, support slow cooking, and use less oil during cooking. So, as you consume less oil and more nutritious foods, the earthy flavor of your food is accompanied by the goodness of health.

While not everything in The Bell Jar corresponds to Plath's life, she drew on many of her own experiences to write the novel. Just like Esther in The Bell Jar, Plath received electroshock therapy as a treatment for her depression and was hospitalized several times over the course of her life. She received her first electroshock treatment after her first suicide attempt at the age of 20. She was treated at Maclean Hospital in Massachusetts, which has also treated Robert Lowell, Anne Sexton, David Foster Wallace, James Taylor, and Ray Charles.

Starbucks is often known for the music they always have playing in the background of each store. As it turns out, Starbucks is more serious about music than you may have thought. The company actually has its own record label called Hear Music. It was created with Concord Music Group in 2007, and actually includes some pretty huge performers, like Paul McCartney, James Taylor, and Joni Mitchell. 

If you download the app, you can find information on what's playing in the store, and sometimes get points for free song downloads.

 

"Pirates had extensive land networks that kept them in touch with the outside world," Geanacopoulos explained to Georgetown. "They had a sort of mail system (ships ferrying letters back and forth) that allowed them to communicate with relatives, as well as a commuter service to take 'retiring' pirates from their famous haunts in Madagascar to more mundane lives in America."

Large ivory tusks on the narwhal dolphin, which resemble unicorn horns, are frequently stolen. The Greenland Sea and Baffin Bay are home to the only surviving populations

Each person, the Swiss consume 36 litres of wine, 56.5 litres of beer, and 8.4 litres of pure alcohol per year. And here are new figures that suggest consumption has actually decreased! It is common for 20% of Swiss individuals to binge drink (4-5 drinks in one sitting) at least once a month.

Wales, along with Bhutan and Malta, is one of only three countries in the world with a dragon on its national flag.

Hungarian senior citizens and European Union citizens over the age of 65 can use Budapest public transportation for free. When inspectors ask for it, they must show a personal identification card or a document proving their age and citizenship. Buses, trolleybuses, trams, Metro, and above-ground suburban trains are all part of the service. The funicular, chairlifts, and boat rides are all not free.