Topics

Nov

Emoji Mojo

by Meredith Mullins on November 20, 2018

Set of emojis from Apple that show cultural and language, especially the universal language of emojis. (Image courtesy of Apple.)

Some of the 2018 new emojis
Courtesy of Apple

Are Emojis the World’s First Universal Language?

Imagine archaeologists finding a set of emojis 1000 years from now in a buried time capsule. Or, picture visitors from faraway galaxies stumbling on Earth’s emoji language.

What would they think of us as they looked over this strange range of pictorial symbols? Read more...

Meredith Mullins Comments

Language & Culture/Worldwide Sites

Nov

Amazing Places on Earth: The Burren

by Joyce McGreevy on November 13, 2018

The Burren is a geological wonder in Ireland, one of the most amazing places on Earth. (Image © iStock/Eugene Remizov)

The Burren reflects Ireland’s extraordinary geological heritage.
© iStock/Eugene_Remizov

Where Rocks Grow Wild

Torn between touring the Mediterranean and exploring the Arctic? See a bit of both, and experience Ireland’s natural beauty into the bargain! You can if you visit the Burren, where nature’s opposites create one of the most amazing places on earth.

Comprising less than 1% of Ireland’s national land cover, the Burren is a world of its own, quilted across northwest County Clare and southeast County Galway. More than 75% of Ireland’s native plant species flourish here, yet the Burren is 3,700 acres of glaciated rock. Read more...

Joyce McGreevy 2 Comments

Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Ireland/Nature Discovery

Nov

Storytelling in Miniature

by Meredith Mullins on November 5, 2018

Giant Panda eating peaches on a postage stamp from Mongolia, proving postage stamps show something about a country's cultural heritage and traditions. (Image © Gingwa/iStock.)

Cultural Heritage and Traditions of the Mighty (Yet Tiny) Postage Stamp

As the popularity of “snail mail” dwindles in our digital age, it seems sadly plausible that some people today have never used a postage stamp. And that’s a pity.

Postage stamps of the world tell fascinating stories. And stamps—like the design of paper currency noted in an OIC Moments story last month—reveal much about a country’s cultural heritage and traditions.

Postal services have exploded with creativity to offer stamps that people look forward to adding to their letters and cards—like an artistic bow on a heartfelt package. Read more...