Rotterdam's Poetry-Covered Garbage Trucks Recognized As Dutch Cultural Heritage

A Rotterdam project that displays poetry on garbage trucks has been recognized as Dutch Intangible Cultural Heritage. Hundreds of lines have traveled through the port city’s neighborhoods on the trucks over the years, combining waste collection with bringing poetry to residents. The project began in 1988 through a collaboration between the Poetry International Festival and Rotterdam’s municipal waste collection service. Today, more than 150 lines of poetry are displayed on garbage trucks around the city. “It’s not a loud statement, but a quiet, consistent presence of poetry in the city,” said festival director Diana Chin-A-Fat. “The lines invite people to look, read, and think, and that’s precisely how they manage to capture people’s attention.” 

Truck Translation: 

"The day is just breaking

hello there, cloudless sky. 

Bianca Boer 

Poetry International

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Woman, 99, Takes to the Skies to Smash Record For World's Oldest Wing-Walker

Helga Duffy, who is about to turn 100, has become the world’s oldest wing-walker after being urged to give it a go by the staff at her nursing home. Duffy, who is 99, had the time of her life after being strapped to the top of a small plane at RFC Rendcomb Airfield in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England. She beat Harry Heasman, a 98-year-old World War II veteran who set the record at Duxford in May, and Betty Bromage, who became the oldest female wing-walker at 97 in August. Duffy, a retired nurse, raised more than £1,600 ($2,131) for Wiltshire Air Ambulance. A first attempt a few weeks ago was called off because of an engineering problem with the aircraft. The record required Duffy to stay airborne for at least five minutes. Because she has osteoarthritis and a bad right knee, she had been worried about getting onto the aircraft at all, but she managed without any problem. "I was strapped in very tight. I had special clothing provided. I felt safe. I thought, well, here I am. That's the last thing perhaps before I die, or before I get to a hundred,” said Duffy. A Guinness World Records adjudicator presented Duffy with her certificate when she landed. It is now on display at her nursing home.

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British Doctor Saves Stranger’s Life at Miami Airport

Dr. Elena Sumanariu, who works at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Kent, England, had just arrived in Miami on vacation when she found herself at the center of a life-or-death situation. An unidentified man had collapsed and his heart stopped beating. Dr. Sumanariu immediately began CPR, while the airport’s emergency team were called to the scene. The man’s heart was restarted with the aid of a defibrillator. “Although the situation was unexpected and naturally stressful, my medical training took over, and my response felt almost instinctive,” said Dr. Sumanariu. She went on to explain that in that moment there was very little time to think about anything other than what needed to be done. A testament to her swift actions, Dr. Sumanariu has since received a letter of thanks from American Airlines’ corporate medical director.

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Taco Bell Is Dropping a Birthday Cake Empanada

Taco Bell and Milk Bar are teaming up again, and this time they’re putting birthday cake inside an empanada. The new Milk Bar Birthday Cake Empanada will be available nationwide at participating Taco Bell locations for a limited time, while supplies last. It’s made with a crispy, golden empanada shell filled with cake batter-flavored filling, then topped with pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles. Taco Bell Rewards Members also have one extra way to try it. From October 15 through October 28, members celebrating a birthday during that window can choose either a free Milk Bar Birthday Cake Empanada or a regular Mountain Dew Baja Blast Freeze as their birthday reward, as long as their birthday is added to their profile.

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