Things I learned lately 3 September

• The SMART car got its name from Swatch Mercedes ART. The car was designed by the owner of the Swatch watch company and convinced Daimler to make it.
• Due to rising temperatures, more workers are dying from heat than ever. So cities have mandated that construction workers get 10-minute water breaks every four hours. In response, Texas Republicans are now trying to pass a bill that bans mandatory water breaks.
  
  
  
• In 2002, Elmo became the only non-human or puppet to testify before Congress. Elmo was asked to testify before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. Elmo urged support for increased funding in music education.
• At sunset, you can hear a special jingle being played over the PA systems in Tokyo neighbourhoods, reminding kids that they should be on their way home. Yes, kids learn how to be safe on their own, like it used to be here in the 60s and 70s.
• In Tokyo, many employers pay for the cost of commuting on public transportation. Owning a car is considered a luxury.
• Most of Japan, and Tokyo in particular, centers around the train stations, which are the neighbourhood hubs. When people give you directions, it almost always starts from the perspective of a train station as a starting point. Homes for sale or rent always mention walking distance to the nearest train station.
• In 1443, King Sejong single-handedly created Hangul, the Korean alphabet, in response to the immense difficulty that common people faced learning Chinese characters.
• The Wolverine character was born in Cold Lake, AB.
• Extra Virgin olive oil has an extremely low smoke point, so cooking with it often leads to burnt food and a smoky kitchen. It is intended for dressing and garnishing. Regular olive oil has a much higher smoke point and is meant for cooking.
• Neptune has only gone around the sun once since it was discovered 165 years ago.