The Wordsmith Blog™

Toilets - we all use them but seldom like to talk about them. The flushing toilet was invented by Sir John Harrington in 1596 for Queen Elizabeth I. He was originally barred from the Royal Court for spreading smutty stories, but after his invention, he was allowed back. Having whet your appetite for fascinating toilet facts, let us look at 15 more. 1. The film 'Psycho' was the first movie to show a toilet flushing - the scene caused an inpouring of complaints about indecency 2. Pomegranates studded with cloves were used as the first attempt at making toilet air-freshner 3. Hermann Goering refused to use regulation toilet paper - instead he bought soft white handkerchiefs in bulk and used them 4. Over $100,000 US dollars was spent on a study to determine whether most people put their toilet paper on the holder with the flap in front or behind; the answer: three out of four people have the flap in the front 5. King George II of Great Britain died falling off a toilet on the 25th

Dentists brainstorm in Lagos THE health hazard inherent in the use of toothpicks or other sharp objects on the teeth may be more severe than most Nigerians thought. Besides there link to most oral discomforts, they are potential recipe for grave diseases like mouth cancer, dentists have warned. The dentists, under the aegis of the Nigerian Dental Association said this at a briefing to herald their biennial general meeting, currently holding in Lagos. Theme of the conference is: 'Nigeria at 100 years: The dentistry perspective.' Scheduled for discussion at the scientific conference are challenges like low oral health awareness and a huge need for oral health care among the populace; misconceptions and absence of coordinated system for collective oral health date in the country. Others are inadequate manpower to meet the oral health needs and inadequate distribution of available oral health facilities. Member of the association, Dr Evelyn Eshikena observed that several of the den

1. You know the relationship has no long-term potential. After dating for a while, if you realize that the relationship will eventually run its course, ending it is likely the best thing for both of you. You want to find someone who will be in it for the long haul. 2. The relationship has run its course. Maybe you didn't get out early enough. Get out now. When the relationship feels over, let it be over. Don't cling to it just because you've wasted so much time on it already. 3. You've been hurt physically or emotionally. Some damage can't be undone. Staying in an abusive relationship will only deepen those wounds with time, it won't heal them. Seek professional help if you're not sure how to leave. 4. You've been cheated on, or you've cheated. Rarely can dating relationships rebound from infidelity. Let him/her go. 5. Someone else is on your mind. Do. Not. Cheat. If you're constantly wishing your significant other was someone else or that you co

I trust you have heard the phrase , "Have a great week!" Times innumerable. Though having a great week, or not, rely to a great extent on the wings of fate, of course no one know exactly what lies ahead the next minute. Shall we for this reason live on carelessly and unplanned? An emphatic "NO", I submit should be the answer. Staying positive, and assuming that you can orchestrate a great week, I'll submit the following as steps or technique you should follow in order to have one. One good part of these guidelines is that they help you achieve your set goals too. To achieve/have a 'Great Week', time management must be kept at opium. Time management and goal setting are tough for most or us, mainly because it takes discipline, accountability, and it's not fun. Enjoying your week's journey while keeping your eye on what you want most out of life if key in this . A beautiful part of this guidelines is; It's practical, simple, flexible, an

Many did not notice, but some did, Cameron Laws and Me likewise. The opening ceremony organizers displayed the wrong flag while announcing Nigeria on Thursday. Instead of Nigeria's flag, it projected an image of Niger's flag onto the globe at midfield during the ceremony. Twitter user, Cameron Laws, pointed out the blunder. Nigeria's flag features three vertical stripes, with a white stripe sandwiched between two green stripes. The country's crest is in the middle of the white stripe. Niger's flag features three horizontal stripes. The top stripe is orange, sitting above a white stripe and a green stripe. There is an orange circle in the middle of the white stripe. The neighboring African nations share a 450-mile border and maintain friendly relations. Nigeria is currently ranked No. 44 in FIFA rankings. Niger is ranked No. 112 and did not qualify for the World Cup. This is not the first time the wrong flag has been displayed during a major sportin