It’s time to let the cat out of the bag. Although there are some fascinating idiom origins, one that people might also be curious about is, “for Pete’s sake!” And, for Pete’s sake, you should.

The phrase essentially uses “Pete” as a mild substitute for God or Christ in an expression of annoyance or frustration. It’s similar to the less common, “for the love of Mike.” In either case, the switch to the common name makes the phrase more socially acceptable and less offensive. Replacing the words in a euphemism to make a saying more appropriate is known as a “minced oath.”

People started saying “for Pete’s sake” as early as 1903, according to Oxford English Dictionary citations. But there’s no confirmed reason why people use Pete instead of Tom, Jim, or any other name for that matter. One speculative theory in the Morris Dictionary is that someone replaced Jesus or God with another religious figure—St. Peter.

Now that you know a bit more behind why people say, “for Pete’s sake,” you can celebrate For Pete’s Sake Day on February 26th. Check out more silly holidays worth celebrating.

What is public WiFi?

Public WiFi is basically exactly what it sounds like—a WiFi network available in a public place. You’ve probably used one in the past, whether in an airport or your local Starbucks. Often, the network has a password that you’ll need to use to access the Internet, but sometimes all you need to do is “sign in” by checking off a Terms & Conditions agreement. Public WiFi has been much maligned as a dangerous Internet space where your information is at risk, but how true is that? What exactly are the dangers that come with using public WiFi?

Is using public WiFi dangerous?

Despite what the frequent warnings surrounding it might suggest, “having a WiFi network where people can access the Internet, whether it’s at home or at your business, is not inherently dangerous,” Spencer Lichtenstein, Senior Director of Technology at Onyx CTS, told Reader’s Digest. “But…if [whoever sets up the network] doesn’t address the potential security concerns, people can misuse that network…and take advantage of it.”

Basically, the issue arises when businesses and other public places set up WiFi networks and don’t go to any extra effort to make sure they’re secure. And Lichtenstein understands why they often don’t, especially smaller businesses. “It takes a little bit of time and effort to make them secure,” he says. “And [it’s] expensive, and requires people to put time and money in, [so] they…decide not to do that.” But unfortunately, without proper security precautions like a strong password, a time limit on WiFi use, and site-filtering software in place, many public WiFi networks are much more vulnerable to threats from hackers. This means that public WiFi is often not as safe as it could be, and its users might be paying the price.

What can happen if you use public WiFi?

So what exactly is the danger? Well, the danger comes from the fact that anyone can access the network—including hackers looking to steal people’s private information. “On a public WiFi network, where a lot of people can access things, it’s much easier for your personal information to get stolen,” Lichtenstein explains. This can include anything from your usernames and passwords to your bank account information, depending on what exactly you’re doing on the public WiFi network. (Psst—these are the worst passwords you could possibly use online.)

Another danger is that “it’s much easier for people to fall victim to…phishing attacks” on public WiFi networks. Phishing is when someone sends you a phony link in hopes of taking you to a site that will give you a virus or steal your information. “Those attacks are much easier to carry out when someone is connected to public WiFi,” per Lichtenstein. If you’re worried about this, check out these tips to avoid online scams.

How can you keep your information safe?

The good news is that you definitely don’t have to give up public WiFi completely. Lichtenstein suggests a couple of things you can do (and not do!) to keep your information as safe as possible while browsing. For instance, just the way you use the network can eliminate some risk. He recommends asking yourself, “‘Is what I’m doing on here something that I would be OK with everyone seeing?’ And if the answer to that question is no, you need to pause and [either] think about another way to do it” or avoid doing it until you’re on a network you fully trust, he says.

Another helpful tip is to download a Virtual Private Network, or a VPN. “If you’re on public WiFi all the time, a VPN will…provide you with a degree of privacy,” Lichtenstein explains. “You’re in your own private world on that public WiFi network… It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s very helpful.”

And, lastly, he recommends updating your devices. “The more up-to-date your devices are that you’re using on that public WiFi network…the more secure you are as a whole,” he told Reader’s Digest. “There’s never a guarantee that you won’t get infected with a virus or something else, but if you’ve updated your phone to the latest version—the latest iOS version, or the latest Android version—you’re gonna be better off than if you’re running a version that’s six months out of date.” He insists that those updates come out for a reason, and you should install them right when they do.

Next, find out the cyber security secrets hackers don’t want you to know.

Good news for fans of 19th-century literature, lovers of all things biblical, and those who want to name their babies after great-grandparents—the hottest new baby names for 2019 are mostly timeless classics. This recently-published list from Names.org of the most popular baby names for 2019 compiled data from the Social Security Administration and Internet user data to unlock the trends.

Popular Girls Names 2019

It seems as though we’re going through a large shift in popular baby names for girls, in particular, shares Rick Pendrick, a representative for Names.org. “We may be seeing a shift where many of the current most popular names like Sophia, Isabella, Mia, Olivia, and, to a lesser extent, Emma have peaked all at the same time. Other names, like Amelia, and Evelyn, are growing rapidly and will likely take the place of the currently higher ranking names in the coming years.”

1. Emma (Previously #1)
2. Ava (Previously #3)
3. Olivia (Previously #2)
4. Isabella (Previously #4)
5. Amelia (Previously #8)
6. Mia (Previously #6)
7. Evelyn (Previously #9)
8. Charlotte (Previously #7)
9. Sophia (Previously #5)
10. Harper (Previously #11)

Popular Boy Names 2019

“At this point, many of the biblical names could just as easily be called popular names,” shares Pendrick of favourites like Noah, Benjamin, and James. The most popular baby names for boys of 2019:

1. Liam (Previously #1)
2. Noah (Previously  #2)
3. Logan (Previously #5)
4. James (Previously #4)
5. Oliver (Previously #9)
6. Elijah (Previously #8)
7. Benjamin (Previously #6)
8. William (Previously #3)
9. Lucas (Previously #11)
10. Mason (Previously #7)

Wildcard Girls’ Names 2019

For girls, wildcard names seem rooted in the romantic side of nature instead of spirituality. Willow, Luna, and Aurora are all inspired by natural beauty, while Emilia, Quinn, and Eliana all give reference to inner feminine strength.

1. Nova
2. Everly
3. Kinsley
4. Willow
5. Aurora
6. Luna
7. Emilia
8. Valentina
9. Hazel
10. Quinn
11. Amelia
12. Eliana
13. Stella
14. Naomi
15. Paisley

Check out more offbeat new baby names that are on the rise.

Wildcard Boys’ Names 2019

The wildcard star names for baby boys in 2019 unsurprisingly draw inspiration from the Bible, with top choices being Ezekiel, Ezra, Elias, Santiago, and Asher. This proves that even biblical names based on general spiritual concepts versus the usual saints, prophets, kings, and sages are on the rise.

1. Ezekiel
2. Maverick
3. Jameson
4. Ezra
5. Mateo
6. Elias
7. Theodore
8. Asher
9. Santiago
10. Sawyer
11. Grayson
12. Josiah
13. Greyson
14. Easton
15. Leo

If you’re into naming trends, you’ll get a kick out of our list of the most popular names from the year you were born, too.

It took a long time for Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion to open

Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion took a long time to get from its initial conception to a full-fledged running ride. According to Disney-expert YouTubers the Super Carlin Brothers, the Mansion was part of Walt’s original plan for Disneyland. But Disneyland opened in 1955, and the Mansion wouldn’t open until 1969. It went through several different design concepts, and Walt needed to put the project on hold because he was devoting so much time to the 1964 World’s Fair. But the biggest issue was that Imagineers couldn’t decide whether they wanted the experience to skew funny or scary. The two Imagineers that Walt Disney assigned to the project, Marc Davis and Claude Coats, wanted to take it in very different directions. It wasn’t until after Walt Disney died in 1966 that a new Imagineer, Xavier Atencio, was put in charge of the ride and decided to combine the humour and the frights, creating the ride that would wow guests for the next 50 years (and counting!).

It was a major success for the park

All of the struggles to create the perfect ride paid off because when the Mansion finally opened, it brought in record numbers of guests.

There are ghosts from all around the world

“It’s a Small World,” this is not, but there are still lots of international groups of ghosts partying in the Mansion’s graveyard. Looking closely, you can spot tea-drinking British ghosts, mummified Egyptian ghosts, and helmet-sporting Norwegian ghosts.

The design is inspired by a real house

Ken Anderson, one of the Imagineers behind the design and concept of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion, drew inspiration from a real-life antebellum-style home. Called the Shipley-Lydecker House, this Baltimore home was demolished in 1967, but not before Anderson saw an image of it in a book called Decorative Art of Victoria’s Era and loved the design. The house’s influences are easy to see in the final facade of the Mansion, particularly the four columns in the front.

A character was missing from the ride for 45 years… But now he’s back!

One of the most memorable characters from the original incarnation of the Haunted Mansion was known as the Hatbox Ghost. And he was memorable despite his very short-lived time in the Mansion. This ghost’s gimmick? His head disappeared and then reappeared in the hatbox he was holding. According to TripSavvy, the ghost was positioned too close to the riders and the effect wasn’t seamless, so the Imagineers scrapped it very shortly after the opening of the ride. But in 2015, the present-day Imagineers decided the time was ripe to bring an updated version of him back—and it’s been a spook-tacular success.

The organ is a film star

The original organ in the Disneyland ride, where a ghostly organist plays the “Grim Grinning Ghosts” tune, made its Disney debut in the 1954 film adaptation of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. A few of the parts, including the headboard, were swapped out, but the body of the organ is the same.

There was almost a water ride version

Today, we can’t imagine the Haunted Mansion as anything but an amazing dark ride-through with the delightfully spooky Doombuggies. But in its early days of development, Claude Coats—one of the Imagineers who was integral to the design of the ride—considered having it be a boat ride. This was partly because the Omnimover ride vehicle technology hadn’t been developed yet. Had this version of the ride come to fruition, the Mansion would’ve been a New Orleans plantation home, partly submerged in a bayou.

It was originally going to have a walk-through

In addition to the water ride, there was also another potential iteration of the Mansion that had a walk-through component. The graveyard, which today serves as the queue for the ride, was originally planned as a separate walk-through attraction, according to Yesterworld. The would-be walk-through was even part of the construction for the ride until the Imagineers realized that that space would be put to better use as the introduction to the Mansion.

The ride gets a holiday makeover

If you’ve never been to one of the Disney parks during the holiday season, anyone who has will tell you that it’s a different experience altogether. And the Haunted Mansion is no exception—starting in 2001, it has become the “Haunted Mansion Holiday” at the end of the year, starting in September. In addition to bedecking the mansion itself with both jack o’ lanterns and traditional Christmas decorations, the “makeover” incorporates lots of elements from The Nightmare Before Christmas. The transforming portraits in the hallway before you board the buggies now depict Christmas scenes that turn into Halloween scenes, like Santa morphing into Jack Skellington. In addition, the caretaker and dog out in the graveyard become Jack Skellington and his ghostly dog Zero.

Madame Leota is a couple of different women

One of the most famous of the “Happy Haunts” in the Mansion is Madame Leota, the woman’s floating head in the crystal ball. It’s actually the head of a woman named…you’ll never guess…Leota. She was an Imagineer in the early days of Disneyland. The voice of Madame Leota, though, isn’t hers. True Disney fanatics might actually recognize it—it belongs to Eleanor Audley, who is most famous for voicing both Cinderella’s stepmother and Maleficent. By the time Disney needed new Madame Leota footage for the Haunted Mansion’s holiday makeover, which debuted in 2001, the original Leota had passed away. So they had none other than her daughter, Kim Irvine, take on the role. (They also got actress Susanne Blakeslee for the voice work.)

One of the “Grim Grinning Ghosts” singers might sound familiar

To learn another connection that the Mansion has with Christmastime, you need only listen to the vocals on the famous “Grim Grinning Ghosts” tune when you pass by the singing busts. One of the singers, Thurl Ravenscroft, is also the singer of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” in the original “Grinch” animated special. (He’s also the “grrrrreat” voice actor behind Frosted Flakes mascot Tony the Tiger!)

The Stretching Room is lowering you underground…

…in Disneyland, that is. One of the biggest mysteries surrounding the Mansion is how the famous Stretching Room, in which the room appears to “grow” to reveal the full haunting contents of the portraits, works. And there are two pretty simple options: Is the ceiling rising, or is the floor descending with you on it? In the original Disneyland version, it is, in fact, the latter. But that’s not the case everywhere; in Disney World, the ceiling is rising. And that’s not the end of this bit of Haunted Mansion trivia. The reason for the difference is that Disneyland was a little short on space, so they couldn’t justify making the Mansion any bigger than it had to be and had to build below ground. In Disney World, on the other hand, there was plenty of extra room, so the Stretching Room grows.

It caused quite the janitorial staff walkout

In the early days of the Mansion, its cleaning crew learned the hard way that the Imagineers had rigged the house with motion sensors. These sensors would shut off the lights and activate all of the animatronics and special effects—and they gave the janitors an understandable scare. The next morning, the Imagineers came to work to find all of the effects still running and a lone broom sitting on the floor. They had a voicemail from the cleaning crew saying that they would not be back to work.

Planning to visit the Haunted Mansion? First, find out which surprising items are banned from Disney parks.

The weather vane pays tribute to the “original” owner of the Mansion

One of the first versions of the “story” of the Haunted Mansion had the Mansion belonging to a former swashbuckling pirate named Captain Gore, who killed his wife after she became privy to his history of piracy. She got her ghostly revenge by giving him a good haunting for the rest of his life. Even though this version of the story didn’t stick, the weather vane on top of the Mansion, styled like a large schooner, pays tribute to the original tale.

Read up on 13 real-life haunted house mysteries no one can explain.

The “Master” of the house has caused some confusion

Riders with eyes for Easter eggs have noticed that one of the gravestones outside the Mansion pays tribute to a “Master Gracey.” This has led them to assume that the late Master Gracey is the owner of the Mansion. However, it’s not actually supposed to be “Master” as in Master of the House, but “Master” as in a man not quite old enough to be called “Mister.” It’s a tribute to Yale Gracey, an Imagineer who worked on the special effects for the ride. But the idea that this mysterious Master Gracey is, in fact, the Master has become so widespread and popular that many Cast Members have accepted it as canon to the ride. And in the 2003 movie version of Haunted Mansion, the owner of the house is, in fact, named Gracey.

Next, find out how long it would take to go on every ride at Disney World.

Almost all English grammar rules come with some degree of confusion, and pluralizing is no exception. To pluralize most words, you just add an S on the end, nice and easy. Which would be great—if we didn’t have all sorts of words that take irregular plurals, like “tooth,” “mouse,” “child,” and scores of others. And then there are words that already have an S on the end—what do you do to pluralize those? Wouldn’t you know it, there’s no one rule for those, either. (Check out these grammatical errors even smart people make.)

How to pluralize words ending in S

For the majority of words ending in S, you just add an -es to the end. “Walrus” becomes “walruses,” “bus” becomes “buses,” “class” becomes “classes.” Not too bad.

But there are some words that, instead of just getting an additional -es, get a different ending altogether. For many words ending in -is, you don’t add -es but change the -is to an -es, as is the case with thesis > theses and analysis > analyses. For some polysyllabic words that end in -us, you remove the -us and replace it with an I. The plural of “cactus” is “cacti,” and “nucleus” becomes “nuclei.” But for others, you don’t. (See the above “walrus” example!) Also, you’ll hear people call more than one octopus “octopi,” following the -us rule, but because of “octopus”‘s Greek roots, its plural is actually “octopuses”! To be fair, though, this rule isn’t super strict. Dictionary.com does list “cactuses” and “nucleuses” as valid secondary plural options for their respective singular words. And, finally, some words that end in S don’t change at all—the plural of “species” is “species.” (Find out the linguistic reason the plural of “moose” isn’t “meese.”)

How to pluralize names ending in S

My last name is Jones, so I get it. In fact, I once received a Christmas card from far-away family that was simply signed “The Jones,” because of how complicated pluralizing names can be. But when it really comes down to it, it actually isn’t that complicated. The same rule applies that you use for most words ending in S: Add -es to the end. Don’t overthink it! So “Jones” becomes “Joneses,” “Lucas” becomes “Lucases,” etc. And because your name is just that, a proper name, you don’t need to make the spelling alterations that would apply for regular words. For example, if your last name is Harris or Marcus, calling your family “The Harres” or “The Marci” just sounds pretty silly.

But whatever you do, don’t add an apostrophe. Apostrophes don’t make regular words plural, and it’s no different for names. Using apostrophes to make words plural is one of the spelling and grammar mistakes spell check won’t catch. When you do use apostrophes, though, is to make words possessive. Which leads us to…

When it’s possessive

What if you want to talk about the tusks on those walruses? (Or just one walrus?) Or how you have a dog-sitting gig for a pooch belonging to the Jameses? In this case, it’s actually the plurals that are simpler. Just throw an apostrophe on the end of the -es: “The walruses’ tusks.” “The Jameses’ dog.” (Or on the end of the irregular plural: “The cacti’s thorns.”) You don’t need to add any letters.

When it’s singular, though, it can be a little puzzling. Do you add just an apostrophe or an apostrophe S? Looking at “the walrus’ tusks,” it just kind of feels like you should add the extra S, especially because just an S-apostrophe is already the format that you use when you’re pluralizing a word that doesn’t end in S: “The cats’ bowls were empty.” To solve this problem, Oxford Living Dictionaries suggests adding an apostrophe-S when, if you were saying the word out loud, you would pronounce the extra S. And, to be fair, this is usually the case. So you would write “The walrus’s tusks were huge” and “The bus’s wheels went round and round.” But sometimes you don’t say the S; for instance, you could write “Sobeys’ parking lot was full” since you probably wouldn’t say “Sobeyses” out loud. But if you’re unsure, you’re probably best off just adding the extra S. Just make sure you have the rules straight for when you should (and shouldn’t) use an apostrophe, because those are pretty hard and fast!

Why do cats eat grass?

Turns out, there isn’t a lot of research on why cats eat grass, says Dr. Pete Lands, DVM, director of emergency and critical care at St. Francis Veterinary Center in New Jersey. But there could be a few different reasons to answer the question, “Why do cats eat grass?”

Cats commonly have a number of underlying gastrointestinal diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome. So eating grass may be a way for them to calm down their GI tract either to help move things along a little bit faster or help them vomit up hairballs, Lands says. Curious about other cat behaviours? Find out why cats knead.

Grass has plenty of fibre, which can help with constipation. “Cats are notoriously poor water drinkers, and sometimes adding fibre to the diet just helps them poop a little bit easier,” says Dr. Angie Krause, DVM, CVA, CCRT, a holistic veterinarian based in Boulder, Colorado.

And some cats may eat grass to make up for nutritional deficiencies in their diet, such as folic acid, which helps form hemoglobin. “If the diet they have at home is devoid of certain vitamins, minerals, or nutrients, they may be trying to find those elsewhere,” Lands says. “So one place they may be able to find folic acid would be by eating grass if that was something that their diet might be missing.”

Is eating grass related to stress?

That said, eating grass may also be a sign that your kitty is stressed out. Learn to spot the signs your cat is secretly mad at you.

“Some people say if a cat is in a stressful environment, they may stress eat, similar to the way humans stress or emotionally eat to kind of help relax them or calm them down,” Lands says. That may be the case with feral cats. Find out the most common mistakes cat owners make, according to the Cat Whisperer.

Is it good for cats to eat grass?

Eating some grass may help your cat’s digestion. But too much could result in medical complications. “In [North] America, most of our cats are indoors all year, so if they’re going outside and eating grass, you should probably get on the phone and talk to your vet,” Lands says. In some cases, if a cat eats too much grass, it can get stuck in the stomach and require surgery to remove. A visit to the vet will help identify any underlying conditions that could be causing your cat to eat grass.

But some cats just like the taste of grass, and in small amounts, it can provide valuable fibre. Krause has a cat with GI issues, and she grows cat grass for her cat to eat. “He’s the one who will eat grass until he vomits, no matter what kind of grass,” Krause says. “And so with him, when I grow grass for him, I watch how much is available to him, because he’ll just mow [it] down if I grow a ton.”

Now that you know the answer to the question “why do cats eat grass,” learn how to spot the subtle signs your cat is depressed.

Lock it up

While this may sound like the world’s most obvious advice, homes have many entry points and it’s easy to forget to lock one up behind you. A spokesperson for Neighborly, a home services platform that connects homeowners with trusted professionals, says that July and August are the most frequent months for break-ins—and about 30 per cent of home burglaries happen due to an unlocked window or door. The morning of your trip, go door to door and window to window to ensure all doors, windows, and basement access points are secured.

Stay off social media

These days, half the fun of travelling can be posting your adventures on Facebook or Instagram. But don’t give out too much information; you may be causing worse havoc than FOMO. “Providing a play-by-play of all the fun you’re having on your vacation can alert a burglar to the fact that your home is empty,” says Joe Liu, CEO of Home8, a home security service that offers cloud-based solutions. “Resist the temptation to post photos of your vacation activities until after you return.”

Secure your valuables

Whether your most valued possession is your grandmother’s sapphire earrings or a high-end gaming system, it’s wise to stash them out of view. “It’s important to protect items of high importance or value,” says Mark Honeycutt, CEO of Jiawei Technology, the company that manufactures the Maximus Smart Video Security Light. “For an extra layer of protection, place items such as jewellery and cash in a protected safe or in hard-to-reach places, like the attic or basement. Otherwise, you’re risking not only monetary loss, but also emotional scars and the trauma of victimization. Victims can have real psychological trauma as a result of their homes being violated.” Find out the 13 things you should do after a break-in.

Resolve maintenance issues

Before your departure, Neighborly recommends resolving any known home maintenance and repair issues that have the potential to go from bad to worse while you’re away. A slow drip under the sink, a window or door that leaks when the rain comes from just the right direction, or any of a number of other issues that you’ve been keeping an eye on can cause damage while you’re not home—and it can accrue quickly. Read up on these home repairs anyone can do.

Switch to a smart keypad lock

Don’t wait until your next vacation to take inventory of everyone who has a key to your home—can you even recall every pet sitter, baby sitter, service person, neighbour, and family member you’ve given copies to over the years? Upgrade to a smart keypad lock and you can give every person who needs it their own unique PIN code and remove access when visiting hours are over. “Our locks feature a ‘vacation mode,’ which means that all user PIN codes are disabled until the homeowner returns home to turn this mode off,” says Garrett Lovejoy, director of product for Yale Locks. “This ensures that cleaning companies, contractors, and anyone who has a code to your home cannot enter while you’re out of town.” It’s also helpful in alerting you when those who do have access are entering—for instance, you’ll know exactly when your dog is being walked or your plants are being watered. You’ll also get an alert if a door is accidentally left unlocked, plus the keypad can be integrated with your smart alarm system for enhanced home security.

Make your whole home smart

Gone are the days where homeowners leave town and wonder what’s going on back home—now you can integrate all your home’s “activities,” check in whenever you’d like, and make things harder on potential burglars as well. For instance, maybe you don’t want to waste electricity, but you also don’t want a dark house that invites attention. “Use an app to set a schedule that will automatically turn your smart lights and lamps on and off while you’re away to make it appear that someone is home,” says Jeff Lyman, chief product officer at Vivint Smart Home. “This can help deter lazy criminals who are looking for an obviously vacant home and don’t want to risk encountering anyone.” You can also control video doorbells, garage doors, outdoor security cameras, and even your thermostat through the same app. Here’s more great advice on how to outsmart burglars.

Guard your GPS

A GPS unit or in-car navigation system is great for getting you from point A to point B, but Liu cautions that many burglars scope out cars at airport parking lots, looking to break in and activate the GPS, which can lead them straight to your home. If you have a portable unit, don’t leave it in the car; take it with you. Or if you have a built-in unit, set “home” as somewhere other than your actual address—perhaps a large department store or gym, anywhere but where you live. Just think: If an intruder has a map to your address and simply has to hit your garage door opener when pulling up to your house, he can walk right in and make himself at home—and there’s nothing suspicious for your neighbours to even notice.

Take your garage offline

Garage door openers can pose a risk even when you don’t leave them in your car. Depending on the brand, some garage door openers can be hacked and opened with universal remotes, says Liu. Take your garage door opener offline so no tech-savvy criminal can potentially gain entrance. Many garage door brands have a “vacation mode” setting, which disables the remotes and prevents the door from being opened from the outside. If your model doesn’t have this feature, simply unplug it before you leave. Psst—here are some of the best car anti-theft devices on the market.

Install security cameras—even fakes!

“The single best way to ensure your house is never broken into is to have a security camera at every door that is obvious, and that any potential threat can see,” says Will Ellis, who reviews home security products on his website Privacy Australia. “Here’s the thing though, you don’t need a surveillance system, you don’t need an alarm, you don’t need anything for your security camera. In fact, it doesn’t even have to be a real security camera. Fake security cameras exist for a reason. If someone sees that they might be recorded, they won’t break into your home.” The trick is to make sure everyone can easily see the security camera, even if they aren’t looking for it.

Keep up with landscaping

You know what makes a perfect hiding spot for burglars while they case your home? Overly large brush, trees, and hedges. “By trimming these plants as short as possible before hitting the road, you’ll be eliminating these hiding spots and making it more likely the burglar will move on to a different target,” says Liu. If you want to get really sneaky, he suggests planting bushes with thorns underneath your windows—a few quick, painful stabs will discourage prospective burglars. Find out the sneaky ways FBI agents protect their homes.

Turn off your water

It’s hard to believe how damaging water can be… Until you come home from a wonderfully relaxing vacation to a flooded house. A survey by Chubb found that nearly 80 per cent of homeowners overlooked the threat of costly water leaks while on vacation. The insurance company calls internal water leaks the leading cause of property damage, and repairs are expensive—57 per cent of homeowners who experienced a water leak claim in the past two years spent $5,000 or more on clean up and repair costs. To protect your home when leaving town, turn off your main water supply, clear gutters of debris, install a water leak detection device, and check all appliance hoses. A burst washing machine hose is the top homeowner-insurance claim.

Secure sliding glass doors

The most common patio entrance, sliding glass doors, can make your home particularly vulnerable. “The simple latches and locks are relatively easy to circumvent,” says Brad Roberson, president of Glass Doctor, a Neighborly company. “Plus, they are often located in the backyard, which means an intruder simply needs to hop your fence to have all the privacy they need to see what’s inside and smash the glass.” He recommends installing heavy-duty aftermarket locks at the top and bottom of the door to reinforce existing latches and laying a security bar or wooden dowel in the slider track. A glass protection film made of transparent polyester material will reinforce the glass, making it virtually shatter-proof, even with repeated, violent blows. Check out which items burglars want most.

Install a comprehensive security system

“Unfortunately, locked doors and windows aren’t going to stop all types of intrusion, so having a state-of-the-art home security system is a must if security is a priority,” says Tony Litto, with Inspired Technology and Communications. “Using some of today’s technology can help prevent a potential break-in. Think of it as a safeguard against typical human error.” He says that exterior motion detector lighting is the first line of defence to scare off intruders. If that’s not enough, 4K cameras that operate both in the day and night, placed in plain sight is a tried-and-true deterrent. If at this point the intruder has not turned away and they still attempt to break into the home, having window sensors tied to an alarm and a monitoring service will alert you, your neighbours, and the local authorities.

Put up signs everywhere

Burglars are far less likely to strike if they think they’re going to get caught. “If your house has a security system, place the company’s stickers around your property,” says Liu. “Even if you don’t have a security system, signs and stickers can be a powerful deterrent to burglars who may not be bold enough to call your bluff.” In fact, studies showed that 60 per cent of burglars said evidence of a security system—even if there really wasn’t one—led them to select an easier target. Just make sure the signs look convincing, otherwise they’ll act more like a beacon, letting burglars know you’re too cheap to actually protect your belongings.

Find out more sneaky ways burglars can break into your house.

An advertisement in the newspaper stating that the local SPCA was promoting a campaign called “Home for Christmas,” appealing to local residents to give their numerous older cats a chance at a forever home, prompted my husband and I to visit the shelter. As we were chatting with the worker, an orange cat perched on a cat tree eyed us closely, then reached out with a paw for my husband’s shoulder. We took this as an omen and so it was that Cici came to be a part of our lives.

I’m told that of all the animals that come to be in shelters, the saddest ones are those that have had homes and have been given up for adoption. Our Cici was one of them. But it didn’t take her long to check out her new digs and settle herself in her comfy bed in the kitchen. As the weeks went by we all adapted to our routine. Mornings we went off to work while Cici watched over the house, surveying the neighbourhood from her perch in the sunroom.

It soon became apparent that Cici was an exceedingly laid-back cat and there wasn’t much that would upset her, aside from her humans serving up a late dinner. About this time, I heard about an organization called You Are Not Alone that was looking for dogs to fulfill their mandate of pet visitation to local seniors. Although cats had never been considered as appropriate visitors, Cici was reluctantly scheduled for an interview. At the interview, she was handled a good deal by the interviewer and through it all Cici remained undisturbed, seemingly bored by the whole performance and thus she was declared fit for
the program.

A few days later, Cici and I arrived at the Nanaimo Seniors Village and prepared to meet a resident who wanted a visit from a cat, not a dog. Joan Samuels (pictured above) had recently moved to the Village after giving up her home and her two pets, a cat and a dog. Understandably, she was missing them terribly and I was hoping that our visits would help with the healing of her loss. I still remember Joan’s face when she saw Cici for the first time. It was truly love at first sight. Every Tuesday morning after that, Cici and I had the pleasure of visiting with Joan. Sometimes we played cards or just chatted while the cat made herself cozy on Joan’s bed. Other times I brought Joan to my home for lunch and extra cuddle time in the rocker with Cici. All our times together were so special.

The following year, the SPCA launched another campaign and Cici and I were asked to participate by being interviewed at the local TV station. The TV crew watched with trepidation as I opened Cici’s carrying case and she stepped out into the unfamiliar setting. She sat quietly on my knee for the interview, lapping up all the attention and conveying to the audience how pleasant it would be to own a cat like her.

My husband was home recording the interview, but I never got to see it as he absent-mindedly taped a football game over it. So much for our five-minute claim to fame! But I must admit there is a much more meaningful reward than that. Being part of the pet visitation program was truly a privilege. Playing a part in bringing two sweet souls together and watching them bond was truly a gift.

Next, read the heartwarming story of how a group of mothers and babies is bringing joy into seniors’ residences.

There are different airplane seats for every type of need, but they all face the same way—forward. Although airplane seats face the front of the cabin, research from as far back as 1950 shows that we might be facing the wrong way.

Airplane seats that face backward are safer

Backward facing seats might be safer. Rear-facing seats provide more support for the torso and head, according to an Aircraft SEAT Committee participant from SAE International, a company that develops safety standards. “Forward-facing seats allow the occupant’s upper torso to move forward and consequently do not provide the same level of protection,” the member says. The extra support from facing backward is the same reason why babies stay in rear-facing car seats for as long as possible, explains Dan Boland, the founder of holidayers.com, and an Airbus A350 pilot working for an international airline. (Discover the secret phrases pilots say.)

Most airlines don’t have backward-facing seats for one reason

Although there are a handful of airlines that do have some rear-facing seats (more on that later), they are far and few between because rear-facing seats are so heavy. “In a crash, these seats will take more strain from the passenger than the more common forward-facing seats and thus need more support from the floor below,” Boland says. “Which in turn adds more weight to the aircraft and more weight always burns more fuel.” More fuel costs more money, so it’s unlikely that you’ll see rear-facing seats in economy as it’s not worth the expense for airlines, according to Boland. There are plenty of other airplane facts you’ve always been curious about, but the seat placement probably isn’t one you questioned. (Here’s why airlines never tell you how long flights really are.)

There are a handful of airlines that do have seats that face backward

If you do want to try out a rear-facing airplane seat, opt for business class seats with airlines like American, United, Qatar, and British Airways, Boland says. “Most of the seats in the row will be forward-facing, but one or two on the windows will be rear-facing,” he says. The staggered seat arrangement means some people will face each other, but SeatGuru notes there are walls, screens, and other visual amenities to distract passengers from making awkward eye contact. Don’t worry, avoiding eye contact isn’t one of the rude airplane habits you need to worry about.

Out of the many little things you’ve always wondered about, one of them probably has to do with the small fifth pocket on your jeans. By now, you might have given up on trying to use it since it’s too darn small to fit anything you actually need. But why is it there in the first place? Well, today, it doesn’t really serve a purpose, but it used to in the late 1800s.

The small pocket is actually called a watch pocket because it was originally intended as a safe place for men to store their pocket watches. It dates back to Levi’s first ever pair of jeans, which hit the market in 1879. (Check out more things you never knew actually had names.)

The Levi Strauss blog also pointed out that originally, there were only four pockets on a pair of blue jeans, the watch pocket included.

“The first blue jeans had four pockets—only one in back and, in the front, two plus the small, watch pocket,” the blog stated. (Discover more hidden meanings of everyday objects.)

So next time you find yourself standing nonchalantly with your thumb hooked in that small pocket, know that it was originally used to store a pocket watch. And now that we’ve demystified the tiny jean pocket, learn the denim jeans mistakes you maybe making.