Random acts of kindness on a feelgood Friday
Are you one of those people who always has good intentions when it comes to charity or helping others, but never gets around to it? Well get inspired, because one man named Ryan took it upon himself to perform a kind act every single day this year and document it. His website is called 366RandomActs.org, and the acts are as simple as smiling at everyone for a day or as involved as distributing care packages to the homeless.
Ryan could use some help with future ideas, because while the spirit is willing, it can get difficult to avoid being repetitive. Post a comment on his site and offer an idea if you have one. Better yet, repeat one of his ideas yourself and pay it forward. Ryan shows that good deeds need not be expensive or exhaustive. Make an effort and any amount of kindness is better than none.
Why is this a Dinner Topic? Because with so many headlines promoting the negative (such as every political story), it’s important to bring a little positivity to the table. Tell this guy’s story the next time you get together with a group of friends, and people just might enjoy themselves a little more and want to do more.
Betting can be a good discussion topic for dinner. If the conversation doesn’t flow, you might not be in the right company for discussing sports betting. In that case, have a look at the different discussion topics and ice breakers on categories like business/economy, entertainment and trivialities.
For Sale – Dinner Topics
Many of you have probably noticed less frequent posts recently, but thanks to the backlog of relevant posts (well over 600!), Dinner Topics remains a site you can visit every day and still learn something new and interesting. While there is plenty of value left in a site like this, it is getting more and more difficult to personally maintain it, so the “For Sale” sign is being hammered into the imaginary lawn. If you are interested in buying a site with the rights to over 630 content-rich posts and plenty of monetizing opportunities, read all of the details below. If you are just looking for a solid dinner topic to learn about quickly before you head out for the night, don’t worry: we will continue with new posts as time allows and as we feel necessary.
The intent of the site hasn’t changed: if something is being “talked about” in the general public and we think you should know, we try to post an entry to get you the information you need quickly in an easy-to-understand format with little or no bias. If there is something in the news not as widespread but uniquely interesting that would make for interesting conversation, we try to deliver those to you as well. If you are at the dinner table and you understand what others are talking about and have something of your own to add, then Dinner Topics has done its job! Thanks for sticking with us and we hope you continue checking in for a long time to come.
The fine print: Website Detail FAQs
What is for sale?
The domain itself (www.DinnerTopics.com) along with all of the content, future revenues from AdSense, private ads, original Dinner Topics logo and artwork, etc.
Can I make changes to the site if I buy it?
Yes! The entire site would be moved to your server and you could edit it, make changes, change the design, redo the site completely, etc.
So there are no restrictions?
Not quite. A couple ad contracts must stay intact, but they expire in less than a year, and any editing to previous posts are fine but it would be suggested to remove the original author from the post. You would be buying the rights to the content, so properly sourcing any changes would be preferred for all involved.
What if I want to put my own ads in old posts?
You are free to remove any ads except for the two under contract for a year and re-monetize the site as you see fit. With years of content already in hand and a devoted following, there is plenty of potential for site monetization.
How many visits does the site get? What is the Page Rank? How would the site transition work? How do I put in a bid for the site?
DinnerTopics.com currently has a Page Rank of 2, and we are happy to answer all other questions if you are considering purchasing this site and making it your own. We can be contacted at advertise@dinnertopics.com and will answer all of your questions. Yes, we would help you through the site transition process until you were completely satisfied that the site is in your hands. All offers should be directed via email please.
Fear of Friday the 13th
Many of you have heard of triskaidekaphobia which is the fear of the number 13, but what about people who fear Friday the 13th in its entirety? Those people suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia. With today’s calendar turning to that fateful date, sufferers might also want to know this word in case they are writing to someone explaining the Friday the 13th fear: ortographobia. What is ortographobia, you ask? The fear of spelling mistakes.
Sittercity.com New Years Savings – 25% off memberships w/code JAN25 expires 1/31
Read on:
ChaCha.com – What is the name of fear of spelling words wrong?
Zap2It.com – Have Paraskevidekatriaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th)? Today is not your day
(image taken from: CafeMom.com)
Journalistic Failures
It’s getting harder and harder to read any kind of news without a biased slant or even blatant false claims to grab attention. Even on a blog such as this one where the entries are personalized, we still make an effort to provide you with facts and let you choose your side. Too often nowadays a headline doesn’t relate to the story or spins it in a way that is simply untrue. The latest example is courtesy of ABC News and writers Kevin Dolak and Ryan Owens. Their headline reads:
“Okla. Woman Shoots, Kills Intruder: 911 Operators Say It’s OK to Shoot”1
Besides the unnecessary plural in “Operators” (perhaps the woman spoke to more than one but that fact didn’t make it to print), the glaring error is the false claim of “911 Operators Say It’s OK to Shoot.” Within the story itself, the 911 dispatcher was quoted as saying “I CAN’T tell you to do that…” That’s right, CAN’T. The dispatcher did say “do what you have to do,” but that is hardly the same as saying it’s OK to shoot. Furthermore, the headline seems leading as if to suggest that a 911 operator’s confirmation of something is somehow legally binding or at least justification for an act.
Based on the few facts given, it would appear that a woman in severe duress needed some reassurance that her future actions to defend her child were within the scope of a clear-headed person detached from the situation. The dispatcher acted nobly, speaking generally while recognizing the need for immediate support in a potential life and death situation. In a scary situation, the woman and the dispatcher acted professionally and within what they believed were their individual rights. Only the writers failed this story, and if the writers didn’t create the headline, then that job needs to be reassigned.
There are many uplifting and interesting stories out there if you look hard enough, but it’s our individual responsibility to use several sources and learn to read between the biases of those behind the pen to find out the reality of each news story. While most people skim the headlines and skip the content, might I suggest to the loyal Dinner Topics readers to occasionally skip the headlines and read the content?
Happy New Year everyone. When Dinner Topics isn’t here to give you the depth of story you might have missed, don’t be afraid to dive into an article and judge it for yourself rather than just taking the writer’s slant.
Read on:
ABCNews.go.com – Okla. Woman Shoots, Kills Intruder: 911 Operators Say It’s OK to Shoot
Kim Jong-il dies; explaining the hyphen
North Korea’s ruler since 1994, Kim Jong-il, died over the weekend from a heart attack. You likely heard that already. You are also probably aware that North Korea is a volatile state with a poor record of human rights and things aren’t likely to get better as the reigns are passed on to Jong-il’s son Jong-un. At Dinner Topics, we need to provide you with something more to add to the conversation, so one tidbit to add about North Korea while everyone is talking about the threat of nuclear weapons is that the country also has a space program.1
Need more? You’ll notice that each website and news outlet differs in the way it reports Jong-il (Jong Il, Jong-Il, etc.). From what Dinner Topics has been able to gather regarding Korean naming conventions, “Kim” refers to the surname as most have already assumed, just like the Japanese naming structure of putting the “last” name first. In the ”first” name, each syllable is separated by a space, so some journalistic standards take to adding a hyphen to avoid confusing people into thinking the last syllable is a middle name. Thanks, Wikipedia!
For those keeping score, first there was Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea. Il-sung was succeeded by his son, Kim Jong-il, and now Jong-il is succeeded by his youngest son, Kim Jong-un. One last piece of interesting news regarding this topic: because of Jong-un’s youth (his age is reported to be in the late 20s), North Korea will be ruled by the existing governing body until Jong-un develops some needed leadership skills. According to a Bloomberg news story quoting a professor from Seoul, it will likely take a year before Jong-un assumes total responsibility.2
Need even more conversation pieces regarding North Korea? Check out our post from back in 2009 or another from 2010. Or, just…
Read on:
CNN.com – North Korea’s Kim Jong Il dies; South goes on high alert
Reuters.com – North Korea mourns dead leader, son hailed as “Great Successor”
(image taken from ThomsonReuters.com)
Matching your primary candidate
Whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat, it’s hard not to get caught up in the drama of the upcoming Republican primaries. Newt Gingrich has plenty of historical baggage but is currently leading the pack heading into Iowa in the new year, Ron Paul is in second and closing in fast but gets virtually no press, Mitt Romney was thought to be the early frontrunner but hasn’t been able to hold his lead, and other candidates like Herman Cain have made an appearance, wowed everyone for a cool minute, then faded into oblivion.
Like all politicians (and people for that matter), these current Republican candidates are flawed, but we still like to root for someone with whom we associate the most. The problem lately is that Americans spend more time assessing their likes and dislikes of a candidate based on a handful of sound bites or how he or she looks behind a podium rather than voting for the candidate who matches most closely with one’s own beliefs. That’s why Dinner Topics is here to help.
While even the websites themselves might be accused of being biased, it doesn’t hurt to give these polls (found in the links below) a try. Answer the questions according to your own stance on each issue, and the sites will match you up with the candidate most in line with your way of thinking. This way, before you start bashing the “crazy” Michele Bachmann or the overly dry Mitt Romney at your next holiday party, you can find if you should actually be voting for that candidate!
Read on:
USAToday.com – Candidate Match Game
ProCon.org – 2012 Presidential Candidates Quiz: Find Your Match
Sequel weekend approaching
At a time when much of the population is out and about celebrating the holidays by spending money they may or may not have on loved ones, the cineplex has chosen to keep the choices fairly mindless by offering us a bevy of sequels to be released Friday.
Tops on the Dinner Topics Meter (DTM, trademark pending) is the fourth installment of Mission: Impossible titled Ghost Protocol. Yes, Tom Cruise is still the star of this franchise, and early buzz is very favorable (93% on RottenTomatoes.com) with the script written by J.J. Abrams (Lost) among others while famous animated film director Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Iron Giant, Ratatouille, etc.) takes over the directing reigns.
The latest Sherlock Holmes movie (A Game of Shadows) debuts the same day. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Holmes has the star with the better recent track record, but Mission: Impossible is far and away the stronger box office franchise, so expect Ghost Protocol to win the battle at the ticket window. Either way, feel free to make a joke about how both movie titles sound like they could be the title of a future Harry Potter book.
The last sequel coming out Friday is one for the kids: Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked. Reviews matter very little to movies like this: kids want to see it and parents take them. As for the plot, well, I think the title pretty much says it all.
One thing to take away from this Dinner Topic to use at your next meal conversation is Tom Cruise’s recent stunt work. Known for doing his own stunts, Cruise didn’t shy away even at the age of 49 as he scaled parts of the exterior of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai for some action scenes in the film. The Burj Khalifa is over half a mile tall and is currently the tallest building in the world, so regardless of the safety precautions, Cruise deserves some credit for doing what most of us sane individuals who are partial to the ground floor wouldn’t do.
Read on:
TheNews.com.pk – Cruise faced ‘moment of truth’ in Mission Impossible 4
What is Words With Friends?
Based on reports that Alec Baldwin was kicked off his American Airlines flight the other day, it seems that the 30 Rock star feels that he doesn’t have to adhere to the same rules as the rest of the passengers. While everyone else was busy keeping their electronic devices off (a dumb rule but a rule nonetheless), Baldwin felt the need for some Words With Friends whilst waiting out a delay on the plane.1 No matter how silly the rule may seem, think of how much havoc one would have to cause to actually get kicked off a plane. Worse yet, celebrities already tend to get a little leeway, so imagine the scene Baldwin must have caused just to defend his game playing even though it’s against the rules.
The story itself makes for a great Dinner Topic, but it also helps to know what Baldwin was playing. Words With Friends is a word game nearly identical to Scrabble that has millions of online players, playing via various methods: apps on tablets and smartphones, Facebook, etc. Anytime you want to play a game, you can immediately connect to a random player and play the Scrabble-like game to its conclusion, exchanging turns in rapid fashion or over days if your schedule doesn’t allow for all-day gaming.
Words With Friends is an addictive word puzzle game that was wildly popular before, and now thanks to Alec Baldwin’s ego, figures to reach new heights of popularity. Luckily, you follow Dinner Topics and are well-informed when the story is discussed at the table later.
Read on:
Slate.com – Alec Baldwin, Airline Spar Over “Words With Friends” Incident
(image above from TwitPic.com)
