5 places to visit on the Isle of Wight

St. Catherine's Oratory

On the southern side of the Isle of Wight there is a region of chalk hills known as St. Catherine's Down near St. Catherine's Point, the southernmost part of the island. Out here atop what is called St. Catherine's Hill is an old, stone lighthouse that is at least 600 years old. The view is breathtaking, and those who study history will want to spend some time here taking in the sites. Not too far away is a modern lighthouse and another lighthouse, a partial one, that was started a couple of hundred years ago but never finished.

Dinosaur Isle

Having only been opened to the public for a little less than ten years, Dinosaur Isle is a gigantic museum about ... can you guess? Dinosaurs! There are more than 30,000 items, mostly fossils, to view in the museum, and if that's not enough for you, there's also a learning center, a gift shop, artwork and even a restaurant right next door. On the east side of the town of Sandown on the east side of the Isle of Wight, Dinosaur Isle is located a short distance from a tourism area full of food and fun.

The Old Smithy & Gardens

Located in the village of Godshill on the southern side of the Isle of Wight, The Old Smithy & Gardens offers plenty for those with a green thumb. You can stroll through beautiful gardens to check out the local flora, but this is also a great place to shop for fashionable clothing. There's even a coffee shop if you need something to pick you up, and tasty treats are also available. And if you like searching for unusual gifts, you've got to check out the gift shop here.

Calbourne Water Mill

The water mill in the village of Calbourne in western central of the Isle of Wight has been in working condition for hundreds of years, and you can actually sign up for and attend classes on millworking taught by an actual millwright. This is a perfect spot for a family vacation as there are camping sites, museums, miniature golf, cooked and baked goods, and much, much more. Especially enticing for those who like the outdoors are the walkways through local forests and around area ponds.

Brading Roman Villa

If you're an ancient history buff, especially if you like to learn about ancient Rome, the Brading Roman Villa in the small town of Brading on the eastern side of the Isle of Wight is worth your visit. Here you will find the remains of an actual Roman courtyard villa that was in working order until about 400 A.D. Most of what you can see are the floors of the villa, five of the rooms covered with beautiful mosaics, but parts of some walls still remain. There are also some remains of farm buildings, and there are plenty of exhibits about Roman history, specifically relating to the region, within the halls of the tourism center at the site. Special events are held at the villa from time to time, so check the schedule on the Website if you plan on visiting.

Other travel links

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The biggest balls in the world

World's Largest Ball of Paint

33 years ago, Mike Carmichael of Alexandria, Indiana, started with a baseball. Then he added some paint. And more paint. And even more paint. Now, all those years later, he's up to more than 22,000 layers of paint on this ball. Weighing in at about a ton and a half, the World's Largest Ball of Paint has made it into the Guinness Book of World's Records. If you're ever in Alexandria, Indiana, look Mike up and add another layer of paint to hi famous ball.

World's Largest Ball of Twine

This is a tough one. See, there are actually several places that are said to be home to the largest ball of twine in the world. The Darwin Twine Ball Museum in Darwin, Minnesotta, says it has the world's largest ball of twine. Then there's Cawker City, Kansas, which say it has the largest twine ball in the world, started by Frank Stoeber more than 50 years ago. Let us not forget James Frank Kotera's huge twine ball, which is touted as the world's heaviest twine ball, in Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin. And last, but not least, is the twine ball in Branson, Missouri, that is owned by Ripley's Believe It or Not. So, who has the largest ball? I don't want to give a definitive answer, because it might start a war of balls in the twine community, but supposedly that twine ball in Branson has been certified by Guinness Worlds Records. Let's just leave it at that. Below is an image of the twine ball in Branson.

World's Largest Ball of Barbed Wire

Ouch! Don't touch the barbed wire! Believe it or not, the reported world's largest ball of barbed wire currently resides in Jackson, Wyoming with the Ripley's folks. What is it with all these middle America states and giant balls? I guess some folks really need a hobby. To that end, J.C. Payne of Cawker City, Kansas (remember that place from above?) is working on beating the record.

World's Largest Ball of Rubber Bands

This is another one that's not so easy to answer. Several people say they have the world's largest ball of rubber bands. John Bain of California says his ball is the biggest. However, the Guinness folks say Joel Waul of Florida has the biggest ball of them all. And until recently, Steve Milton of Oregon apparently had the world's largest ball of rubber bands. Once again, I'll generally side with the people at Guinness, but who knows? So many folks want the biggest ball, this record could be broken again at any time. Pictured below is Joel Waul with his big ball.

World's Largest Ball of Stamps

That's right. Stamps. A group of stamp collectors back in the 1950s in Boys Town, Nebraska, put this big baby together. Today it can be viewed (and touched!) at the Leon Myers Stamp Center. If you're ever in Nebraska, drop in for a ball.

10 places with funny names

Big Bone Lick State Park, Kentucky

Yes, this is a real place in northern Kentucky. I actually camped there as a kid. Not only is there plenty of great fishing and camping there, but for added chuckles, this park actually sits between the small towns of Rabbit Hash and Beaverlick. This park is important historically because there are lots of fossils found there, especially fossils of mammoths, and it was a stopping point for the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1803.

Sexmoan, Philippines

In all fairness, this town in the Pampanga province of the Philippines has been renamed Sasmuan. Apparently the name "Sexmoan" was a mistranslation or mispronounciation by Spanish settlers of the town's original name of Sasmuan, but when the Spanish government colonized the province about four hundred years ago, the name Sexmoan stuck for a long while.

Mount Wank, Germany

This is actually the name of a mountain in Germany near the border with Austria. There is a cable car system that allows travel back and forth between Mount Wank and the Bavarian resort town ofGarmisch-Partenkirchen. That cable car system is actually known as the Wankbahn. Mount Wank is a popular spot for mountain climbers, hikers and paragliders.

Puke, Albania

Puke is the name of the capital town of the Puke District in northern Albania. They even have a football (soccer, for you Yanks) team called the Klubi Sportiv Terbuni Puke. The name "Puke" is actually an English word, a translation of the Albanian word Puka.

Hell, Michigan

No jokes about Michigan, especially Detroit, are needed, right? Hell is an unincorporated area with a population of less than 300 people is southeastern Michigan just outside the city of Ann Arbor. How did this place get such a name as Hell? One story taken out of history is that when the founder of the region was asked what he wanted to name the place, he said something like, "You can name it Hell for all I care."

Wetwang, England

This small village is located in East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It seems the villagers here don't mind the funny name of their place, because in the past they have appointed honorary mayors of television personalities who have on air made a few chuckles about Wetwang.

Boogertown, North Carolina

Boogertown is a small region that lies in southwestern North Carolina in Gaston County not too far from the town of Gastonia and the city of Charlotte. I've been there. There's not much there, just a few houses and trailer out in the countryside. Probably be a quiet place to settle down, if that's what you're seeking.

Toad Suck, Arkansas

Almost right smack dab in the middle of the state of Arkansas is a little community known as Toad Suck. Annually there is a festival there called Toad Suck Daze. And how did this place get its name? Historical rumors abound, but the most popular one is that steam boats used to tie up at a nearby dock on the Arkansas River back in the 1800s and then the boat crews would venture forth to a local tavern; upon seeing the boat crews tossing back their drinks, one of the locals commented, "They suck on the bottle until they swell up like toads."

No Place, England

Yes, there really is a small village known as No Place. It sets in northern County Durham in England near the town of Stanley. How did this village get its name? No one knows for sure, but one possibility is that it's a shortened version of the term "Northern Place."

Boring, Oregon

Okay, this unincorporated region's name comes from a logical place. One of the earliest residents in this northwestern Oregon region was a fellow named W.H. Boring, and the place received its name from him. Apparently the local residents have a sense of humor about the name of their little spot, because the village slogan is "The most exciting place to live."

More links of the unusual

5 Odd Roadside Buildings in America

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20 Foods with Funny Names

10 historical facts about tarot cards

1. Tarot cards are first mentioned historically in the 1440s in northern Italy.
2. Originally tarot cards were used for games, but generally more complicated card games than we know today. Tarot cards often lacked numbers and sometimes even proper suites, so players had to depend upon the images upon the cards and remember which cards were more "powerful" or ranked higher than other cards.
3. Playing cards arrived in Europe in the late 1300s from China, though China has a tradition that playing cards originally came from India perhaps more than a thousand years ago. Tarot cards grew out of those first gaming cards that reached Europe.
4. The occult history of tarot cards is entirely fabricated, having been created by French occultist Jean-Baptiste Alliette who in 1785 first publicly used such cards for divination purposes before an audience.
5. Alliette popularized the use of tarot cards for divining the future and for other occult purposes. Before him, tarot cards had never been used themselves directly for magic, though they had been known to be used as placemarkers in books that were used to divine the future.
6. Though it was Alliette who lead the charge on using tarot with magic, Swiss clergyman Antoine Court deGebelin had published a book titled Le Monde Primitif in 1781 that studied the symbolism of tarot cards and concluded they were related to occult history and magic, specifically the history and mythology of ancient Egypt.
7. Tarot decks usually have 78 cards and five suits. Regular playing cards usually number 52 and have only four suits.
8. One of the suits in a tarot deck is a trump suit made up of allegorical images. Regular playing cards do not have a trump suit usually, though in some games one of the regular suits can be used for a trump suit. Also, trump cards are not unknown in games with regular playing cards.
9. A tarot deck traditionally has one Fool card. Regular playing cards often have instead a Joker, or commonly two Jokers.
10. The history behind the meaning of the word "tarot" is unknown. Some scholars believe it is related to the Italian word "tarocchi," which is a card game played with tarot cards.

Other historical links

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10 historical facts about toilet paper

Could you have been Hitler?

In his book "How to Win Friends and Influence People," public speaking and sales guru Dale Carnegie wrote that when dealing with an angry person, tell the person something similar to "If I were in your shoes, I would want the same thing as you." This is expected to calm the person down somewhat, perhaps even get them to see things from your perspective since you are obviously willing to see things from their perspective.

Carnegie goes on to explain that you can say such a thing to an angry person without lying to them. After all, if you had the same life experiences and genetic makeup as the angry person, then you would obviously see things their way.

Carnegie goes further and writes, "The only reason you are not a rattlesnake is that your parents were not rattlesnakes."

Thus, a friend recently put this question to me, "If you had the same brain and body and life experiences as Adolf Hitler, would you have made the same choices as Hitler?"

My Answer

The following is taken from an e-mail of mine, and is my answer to my friend:

"Looking at it from a purely physical point of view, I don't know if I can say I wouldn't make the same choices as Hitler. If you have the same brain and same body as Hitler, and grew up exactly in every detail as he did, for all intents and purposes you ARE Hitler.

The only arguments I could offer against such a thing would tend toward the metaphysical and/or spiritual. One could argue each of us has a unique soul, possibly coming with its own imprint from God or the universe or whatever is out there. If that should be the case, I suppose it's possible even with Hitler's brain and body and upbringing, we could turn out differently than he did. This would lean somewhat toward Calvinism, suggesting that God has a fate and possibly a mental state that is unique to each of us."

What Do You Think?

Admittedly, my answer to my friend was simplistic. It was meant to be. It was only an e-mail, after all, and e-mails are not necessarily the best communication form available for such topics. I'll probably talk this over with my friend in person the next time we see one another.

Also, though my answer leaned heavily towards spirituality and religion, even mentioning Calvinism, I was not trying to place my answer in a form that made any judgements. I was pushing no agenda, simply trying to come up with the best answer I could with my own Western world, Judeo-Christian background and education. Also, Hitler is used simply for the ease of having a common focal point of evil, what with the historical figure's general reputation, and this is not necesarily meant to be a study of the actual man or of actual events surrounding him. Someone like the Marquis de Sade or Jeffrey Dahmer or one of a thousand other humans that have been labeled evil by general society could have been used as well. In other words, this is not about judgements of morality, but about metaphysical (and possibly scientific or spiritual) possibilities.

Something bothers me a bit about my answer, though, and I'm not sure what it is. So, I'm seeking other ideas, suggestions and arguments. I'm throwing it out there to anyone who would like to offer an answer or just their own thoughts. Please post below. I'd especially be interested in hearing any scientific possibilities, and ideas from non-Western philosophies, though all ideas are more than welcome.