Well, here's some news that should brighten your day and get the week ahead off to a cheerier start:
Scientists have discovered - despite what all the naysayers like me have said (and published) over the years - that dolphins actually do smile.
Critics of this notion have argued that just because the mouths of dolphins turn up into what we primates would call a grin, it's just the way they're built. Like alligators. The back of their mouths also turn up, and nobody would call that any kind of laughing matter.
However...
European researchers studying bottlenose dolphins in captivity say Flipper and friends open their mouths and do, indeed, smile at one another as a signal that they want to play-fight. When the other dolphin reciprocates, the festivities begin.
This behavior is also seen in primates -- including humans. Smiling communicates friendliness and a lack of threat. And it's contagious.
Speaking of animals, Bat Week begins Oct. 24. It's a time to appreciate the importance of bats to the health of our environment, especially here in Florida.
What's to appreciate? Well, among other things, your average bat can eat up to 50 percent of its body weight in insects every night -- including mosquitos. There are 13 species of mosquito-eating bats in the Sunshine State, including the Florida bonneted bat, a large member of the species that roots in pine and cypress trees from Orlando to Miami.
Did I mention they eat mosquitos? We Floridians love bats.
Oct. 25 is Frankenstein Day. Why this day? It's the birthday of author Mary Shelly, who invented the monster in her eponymous 1818 novel. Essential fact: Frankenstein was the mad scientist who created the monster. The creature's name was Maurice. Actually, that's an alternative fact. She never gave the monster a name, so I say it's up for grabs and we can name him anything we want.
According to the never wrong internet, Frankenstein's monster is ranked among the top five scariest creatures ever. Others on the list include Godzilla, King Kong, The Thing, the Xenomorphs in the "Alien" movie franchise and Vladimir Putin. Oh, wait, that's six, and I always get that last guy mixed up with the other "V" monster, Voldemort.
Keeping with the creature theme, Oct. 26 is Pitbull Awareness Day. And if I wanted to make a joke about that, I could say something like: "Sure. If there's a pit bull nearby, I definitely want to be aware of it!" But I won't because that's the point of this day, to change the unfortunate stereotype of the breed. In fact, pit bulls can make wonderful pets, are great with kids and are highly intelligent. I know. My daughter has a pit-bull mixed breed, and Biggie is the sweetest dog ever.
Cranky Co-worker Day is Oct. 27, which regular readers of this column will recall may be a result of an earlier holiday, Slap Your Annoying Co-worker Day. Nobody wants cranky co-workers, so keep those hands in your pockets, people.
National Chocolate Day falls on Oct. 28. There are numerous days throughout the year celebrating this amazing treat including
World Chocolate Day, National Milk Chocolate Day and National Cocoa Day. You will be shocked to learn that candy makers are behind all this.
National Cat Day, a time to encourage the adoption of homeless kitties, is Oct. 29. Owning a cat has many benefits, including lowering your blood pressure. This happens in two ways. First, our feline friends are amusing and relieve stress. Also, if you annoy them and they get their claws into you, well, blood loss by definition results in lower blood pressure, right? I say that in fondest memory of my first cat, Scoop, a feral visitor who decided to adopt me.
National Candy Corn Day follows National Cat Day on Oct. 30, otherwise known as Halloween Eve. Although every kid I grew up with hated candy corn, it still ranks among the most popular Halloween treats. I have no explanation for this.
Coming Up
Books for Treats Day is Oct. 31, also known as Halloween. The idea is to give trick-or-treaters something to read instead of something to eat. If you try it, you're braver than I am. If you do, you may wish to check out the never wrong internet on how to remove toilet paper from your trees. |
J.C. Bruce is a Naples journalist and author whose award-winning Strange Files series of mysterious adventures are even funnier than his columns. You can find out more about them on his website: www.JCBruce.com