THE MAIN THING

 💡 The First Newsletters

Did you know?...

1. Newsletters date from the 16th Century, when the first printed publications recognizable as newsletters or newspapers began appearing in Europe. 

But, the earliest known record of a regular public 'newsletter' is the Acta Diurna (Latin for "Daily Acts") in ancient Rome.

Julius Caesar ordered their publication beginning in 59 BC, and the content included news of political happenings, military campaigns, court decisions, births, deaths, and even sports results.

They were inscribed on stone or metal tablets (or later, handwritten on boards or papyrus copies) and posted in busy public areas. You couldn't do that now! (Remind me never to complain about my keyboard again).

2. Later, the use of the word 'newsletter' faded away, and it wasn't until the 1940s that media newsletters started to take off.

The main reason for this was that public trust in mainstream media was wavering. Newspapers were great revenue generators, but they were also turning into monopolies (is that happening again?).

The growth of niche newsletters over the past 10 years indicates that people want news, information, and opinions that lie outside of the current media model. 

3. The Boston News-Letter first appeared in 1704. It's considered the United States’ first known newsletter, and was a single sheet printed weekly that contained information from England of interest to Colonial Americans. 

Many of these early letters evolved into newspapers, but I know you'll agree the newsletter format is stronger than ever and won't disappear.

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THINGS IN BRIEF

1. 3 unusual New Year traditions

Numerous countries—and families—around the world celebrate New Year in weird and wonderful ways.

Three unusual traditions:

1. Stay away from windows in Naples, Italy. The locals throw furniture (and other things) out of windows and off balconies on New Year’s Eve. This potentially dangerous tradition symbolizes getting rid of any problems and making a fresh start.

2. In Denmark, people collect crockery and smash it against their neighbors’ front doors. The bigger the pile of broken plates outside your door, the greater luck you'll have in the coming year.

3. Brazilians often go to the beach at New Year (it's summer there). People jump over seven waves to thank the ocean goddess, Iemanjá, for seven good things that happened in the past year. Once done, they walk backwards out of the sea until their feet are out of the water—to avoid bad luck.

If none of those appeal, how about banging bread on your walls (Ireland) or partying with the dead (Chile)?

Do you or your family practice any New Year traditions?

Reply and tell me ONE thing you do, and I'll share some in next week's letter.

2. De-tox

I approve of this philosophy:

3. Relax

Are you chilling on the sofa, enjoying a long weekend?

Great. Here's something to listen to while you think about the answer to life, the universe, and everything.

[MYSTERY MUSIC]

CLASSIFIEDS

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ONE LAST THING

☝️ It's game time

No, not football. But, I guess you could watch a replay.

If you're craving a little intellectual challenge, these games and quizzes will keep you amused for a few minutes.

a) Tightrope. 9 trivia questions. Tread carefully.

b) The rich person's food quiz. Name these 12 luxury foods.

c) French words. How many French words do you know? Simply match the image with the word.

d) General knowledge quiz. Let's see if you're ready to appear on an episode of Jeopardy!

e) World capitals. There are 196 nations on Earth. How many capital cities can you name?

P.S. Any Francophiles here?

Reply with a screenshot of your score for the French words quiz :)