My Daily Smile

Life is short - begin every day with a smile!

Yooperlites: Rocks that naturally glow in the dark!

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Have you ever heard of Yooperlites?

Well, no one else had either prior to one dark night in May 2017.

That’s the night a local rock collector named Erik Rintamaki saw the very first (to be discovered) Yooperlite rock lying among all the other rocks on a rocky Lake Superior beach in upper Michigan.

This particular rock stood out from all the rest because it was literally glowing in the dark under the glare of his ultraviolet flashlight.

[Read more…]

Check out the world’s smallest inhabited island

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The world’s smallest inhabited island is located in New York State, but it’s just a very short distance from the Canadian border.

This tiny island is basically just a rock sticking up out the St. Lawrence River between New York and Ontario.

According to Wikipedia (and multiple other sources), this tiny 3,300 square foot island has just enough room for a small cottage, one tree and a pair of deck chairs!

[Read more…]

Check out this 59 quart portable fridge that runs off your car’s battery

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Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

I’m always on the lookout for handy gadgets and small appliances that will work when there’s no AC power available, and I’ve found a great one that’s sure to come in handy real soon.

It’s a 59 quart 12V refrigerator / electric cooler that plugs right into your vehicle’s 12 volt accessory port (aka cigarette lighter socket).  [Read more…]

Amazing video: Dramatic up-close drone footage of a volcano blowing its top

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Every now and then we see a news report of someone being killed because they ventured too close to an active volcano. The old saying “What were they thinking?” always comes to mind every time that happens.

Volcanoes are among the most dangerous and destructive of all the Earth’s natural phenomena, but they are also among the most intriguing and beautiful as well.  [Read more…]

Q&A: Why don’t car insurance premiums go down as the car depreciates?

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Question from Judy:  I bought a new car back in 2021 and it’s been insured by the same company all this time.

I know my car has depreciated some over the years but my insurance premiums are higher now than they were when the car was brand new.

That makes no sense to me.

It seems like the premiums should decrease along with the value of the car since the insurance company would have to pay out less as the car gets older.

Why didn’t my premium go down along with the value of the car?  [Read more…]