A reader writes: "One of the pranks the kids pulled on me. Other successful pranks: Fake dog poo - I picked it up with paper and smelled it before knowing; Tape under the mouse ... I was cursing at the cursor!
Sand-building payback
What is the most satisfying passive-aggressive thingyou have ever done to a really mean or rude person? asks Quora.com. Shi Ling answers: "When I was 17, I went camping at a beach and decided to make a sand throne ... except it wasn't made entirely of sand, because it would collapse the moment I sat on it. So, I gathered some large stones nearby, arranged them neatly to form an chair, and then covered it with sand to even out the gaps so it would be comfortable to sit in.
After two hours of toiling under the hot sun, the job was done, and I sat in my throne with a great sense of fulfilment. After a while, I retreated back to my tent nearby to rest. As I stared out of my tent admiring my handiwork, a boy about 10 years old went to my throne and walked around it, inspecting it curiously. For a moment, I thought he was going to sit on it. But then, a mischievous glint shone in his eye and he backed away from it a few steps. Then, he dashed and swung a mighty kick! And ... collapsed, clasping his foot and crying for his mum. I stayed in my tent, with tears in my eyes trying to hold back the laughter, thinking, 'served you right!'." Read more answers here.
Manifesto for Atheists, Ten Virtues of the Modern Age, by Alain de Botton:
1. Resilience. Keeping going even when things are looking dark; accepting that reversals are normal; remembering that human nature is, in the end, tough. Not frightening others with your fears.
2. Empathy. The capacity to connect imaginatively with the sufferings and unique experiences of another person. The courage to become someone else and look back at yourself with honesty.
3. Patience. We lose our temper because we believe that things should be perfect. We've grown so good in some areas (putting men on the moon etc.), we're ever less able to deal with things that still insist on going wrong; like traffic, government, other people ... We should grow calmer and more forgiving by getting more realistic about how things actually tend to go.
4. Sacrifice. We're hardwired to seek our own advantage but also have a miraculous ability, very occasionally, to forego our own satisfactions in the name of someone or something else. We won't ever manage to raise a family, love someone else or save the planet if we don't keep up with the art of sacrifice ... (Read all 10 here)
If this boat's owner didn't write the promotional graffiti, the question might be: Do they return that love? Photo / Supplied
Gif goodness: Great idea for a kids night-light... cause the dark can be a scary place...
Video:These homes were are part of subdivision near Dawsonville Georgia which were abandoned after it was discovered that the entire development was a mortgage fraud scheme. As one commenter said: "Things I could never afford, rotting away."
Video: Crowd of solemn mourners at a memorial for Dallas police is disrupted by a man-sized toddler...
Video: Soccer darts involves kicking a Velcro-covered soccer ball at a giant inflatable dart board....
