Happy Monday.

Let’s do this. Five facts in just a few minutes.

#1: During the 1918 flu pandemic, the New York State Department of Health once advised people to kiss through handkerchiefs.

The New York Sun called for "the handkerchief kiss... [to] be brought into vogue at once." To be clear, health officials today do not advise kissing anyone (in any way) who lives outside your household.

#2: Though this image has been miscaptioned online, a pelican named Osman and a dog truly did appear to form an unlikely friendship.

We found photographs of the pair walking, playing, eating, and sleeping on the Turkish shore. Besides this snuggly stray, the locals were also endeared to Osman, who would often hitch boat rides with fishermen.

#3: Big Bird looks a little different in some countries outside the U.S. If you haven’t yet, it’s worth meeting the “Sesame Street” star’s extended family of “cousins.”

The @BigBird Twitter account has featured "cousins" of the Sesame Street character with their names and pictures, and where they're from.

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#4: In 1976, McDonald's advertised the Filet-O-Fish using a character called "Phil A. O'Fish.”

The sailor-suit-clad anthropomorphic cod had a fleeting presence in newspaper advertisements.

#5: A woodworker gave his girlfriend a necklace, and she wore it for more than a year before he revealed he had hidden an engagement ring in a secret compartment.

Viral articles on this creative proposal may have taken some liberties with the story, but the couple cleared things up.

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Tuesday, February 9, 2021

5 Facts to Warm a Cold Heart