You’re the Apple of my Pi

Everyone knows it’s pi day today (3/14). But did you know that the earliest known textually evidenced approximations of pi date from around 1900 BC? They are found in the Egyptian Rhind Papyrus 256/81 ≈ 3.160 and on Babylonian tablets 25/8 = 3.125, both within 1 percent of the true value.Unfortunately, it was only a pie of pi ; )
Pi symbol (3.1415926), March 14th is Pi Day!

Earth is cool.

View of earth from the international space station. Lights, storms, atmosphere.  Amazing.

GO THERE! Travel Tips from the Experts!

Hey, if it happens in New York, baby, you know its good. Here are the top travel tips from The New York Times Travel Show!

Thneuss Thnelebrates!

Today is Theodore Geisel’s birthday! That’s Dr. Seuss to you Oncelers!

St. Patrick’s Day is Nigh!

It’s March! And you know what that means!

History Schmistory: Fuggedaboutit!

On this day in 1940, Race car driver Mario Andretti was born. The labor was really fast.

History Schmistory: February 23. The world looks mighty good to me.

1896: The Tootsie Roll is invented, and gives rise to an unusual morphological phenomenon…

History Schmistory: February 21. “The new phone book’s here, the new phone book’s here!”

1878: The first telephone book is issued in New Haven, Connecticut. It was basically one cardboard page with a list of 50 businesses that could afford to have telephones. There was no number system yet, as every connection could be made by one operator at a switchboard. Over the next hundred years the phonebook took a giant step, partly by becoming just that; a giant step, perfect for reaching the cookie jar and other such unobtainables. Today it appears the phone book is doomed of extinction. Should we do away with phone books altogether? Who knows, maybe in another hundred years, they might be the only thing left to keep us warm. Let’s hope not.
-In the meantime here’s some other cool stuff you can do with them…

GO THERE! …or wait until it’s finished.

The Sanctuary of Truth is a temple in Pattaya, Thailand, visualized by Thai businessman Lek Viriyaphant in 1981. The sanctuary is an all-wood building filled with Visionary art carvings based on traditional Buddhist and Hindu motifs. A team of 250 carvers contribute to the project, which is technically not scheduled to be completed until 2025. But at this point we think it’s awesome enough to check out as is.

History Schmistory: February 20. Hofer heaven’s sake!

1810: Andreas Hofer, a humble Tirolean innkeeper turned patriot, who became the leader of a rebellion against Napoleon’s forces, is executed by firing squad under Napoleon’s order to “give him a fair trial, then shoot him.” Hofer refused a blindfold, passing money to the corporal with orders to “shoot straight”. In his final letter Hofer proclaimed; “Goodbye disappearing world! Dying is so easy that my eyes have no tears.” Today he is regarded as a national hero in Tirol and much of Austria and Germany. Even has a four star hotel named after him. As a former innkeeper, he probably would appreciate that.

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