October 30: Thermos

ABC's Grey's Anatomy has banned bottled water from the set and issued all cast and crew a thermos instead.

October 29: Antarctica

The Antarctic is the only place is the world governed by international treaty.

October 28: Japander

‘Japander: n., & v.t. 1. a western star who uses his or her fame to make large sums of money in a short time by advertising products in Japan that they would probably never use. ~er (see synecure, prostitute) 2. to make an ass of oneself in Japanese media.’

October 27: Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first US President to have power over all 50 US states.

October 26: Lunar

A lunar eclipse occurs at least twice a year.

October 25: Baileys

Baileys Irish Cream was launched on November 26, 1974 having cost $40,000 to bring to production. The Milk from 40,000 cows is used to supply the cream used in the production of Baileys in Ireland.

October 24: Marijuana

‘The National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that the rate of marijuana use in California has barely risen in the past few years, whereas production has hugely increased.’

October 23: Ontario

56% of Ontario's workforce has a post-secondary education, the highest rate of any industrialized nation.

October 22: Snow

Two-thirds of the world's people have never seen snow.

October 21: Retail

India's retail industry has sales of $300 million, which will swell to $560 billion by 2012, according to HSBC.

October 20: Steel

‘The finest steel has to go through the hottest fire.’ - John N. Mitchell

October 19: Lipstick

You will swallow two kilos of lipstick in your lifetime.

October 18: Fertile

‘Lap dancers earn more when they are most fertile.’

October 17: Not Spending

‘Chinese households are hardly the most eager shoppers. Consumer spending has fallen from 47% of GDP in the early 1990s to only 36% in 2006, the lowest proportion in any large economy.’

October 16: 9%

Abu Dhabi claims to sit atop 9% of the world's oil.

October 15: 130

Time Inc. is one of the largest content companies in the world, with a portfolio of approximately 130 titles.

October 14: Iwo Jima

The Battle of Iwo Jima was fought between the United States and Japan in February and March 1945, during the Pacific Campaign of World War II.

October 13: Humanistic

‘Unconditional Positive Regard’ is one of the Humanistic Theories of Carl Rogers (1902-1987).

October 12: Relations

‘It is clear that employee-employer relations are at one of the lowest points in history.’ Wayne Hochwarter, FSU College of Business in a recent study

October 11: Family Day

Ontario has declared a new annual Family Day holiday the third Monday of each February.

October 10: 77%

77 % of American companies monitor their employees' email, according to PC Mag.

October 9: Titanic

Despite the myth of ‘women and children first’, the survival rate for First Class men on the Titanic was higher than for Third Class children.

Before the Titanic, the SS Atlantic was the worst ocean liner disaster in history (April 1, 1873).

October 8: 1930

The Commonwealth Games are an athletic contest held every four years between 71 provinces and former colonies of the British Empire. The very first competition was held in Hamilton, Ontario in 1930.

October 7: Helmets

Halifax is home to mandatory bike helmet laws. It was apparent immediately. Cool is so overrated, anyway!

October 6: Controversial

Nova Scotia legislated Sunday shopping only one year ago (and it's still quite controversial).

October 5: Steel

Condominiums on Ontario are considered commercial buildings and must have steel bathtubs installed.

October 4: Fish'n'chips

Locals email me that the BEST fish'n'chips in Halifax is Warf Wraps in Eastern Passage (‘across the bridge and quite a way’s out of the way’).

October 3: Anxious

Studies report that normal children today are more anxious than child psychiatric patients in the 1950s.

October 2: Buffalo

Early America was so thick with buffalo that explorers said the land seemed draped with ‘one black robe.’ By 1900, fewer than a hundred buffalo remained.

October 1: Series

The Museum of Modern Art has reinstalled its permanent collection of photographs with an emphasis on series.

September 30: Depression

In 1890, Vincent van Gogh painted On the Threshold of Eternity, seen by some as symbolizing the despair and hopelessness felt in depression.

September 29: Heels

As far back as 1000 BC, women have been wearing high heels to convey social status and sex appeal.

September 28: Control

In June 2007, Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhilips refused to hand over majority control of their operations in the Orinoco Belt to the Venezuelan government.

September 27: Refugees

Japan accepted just 16 refugees in 1999.

September 26: Whitening

The practise of skin-whitening can be found everywhere but is particularly common in India, Asia, Africa and the United States.

Interesting article here.

September 25: Bag

The familiar green plastic garbage bag (made from polyethylene) was invented by Harry Wasylyk in 1950.