Hello there, marvellous mind!

Sometimes, if you're lucky, you get to see a flash of brilliant creativity, so simple, yet so effective, that it just warms the soul 🤩

In today's edition, you'll find weekend reads that do just this.

Meet Daisy - The archetypal granny who phones you for tech support, but aimed at scammers instead; hear the story of two spies who became undercover friends; and read funny quotes from the man who basically invented soul warming.

Big love,
Chris & the 42courses team x 

• When a KGB agent and a CIA agent tried to recruit one another: The delightful story of that time a KGB agent and a CIA agent became friends while trying to recruit each other; they knew the other was a spy and just didn’t talk about it.
   
• Sarcasm is not the lowest form of wit, puns are: And 12 other forms of comedy, ranked by how witty they are, and explained in a wonderful reminder of the many uses of humour.
   
• The Order Of The Occult Hand: If you guessed that this is a secret society, you'd be right. if you also guessed that they deal in esoteric and supernatural matters, you'd be 100% wrong. It's actually a bunch of journalists sneaking things past their editors.
   
• Daisy, a scammer's worst nightmare: Daisy would be anybody's worst nightmare - she's 78 and trying to follow your tech instructions over the phone - except she's made of AI, and was designed to waste scammers time, and oh boy, does she!
   
• Funny quotes from Mr Happy: Who? Meik Wiking is the founder of the The Happiness Research Institute, and a cake-loving Dane. he practically has a PHD in putting a smile on your face.

• 1569 – King Philip II of Spain sets up the Spanish Inquisition in South America, expanding its infamous reach beyond Europe. Nobody expected it. 🔥
   
• 1812 – Poet Lord Byron, also known as the 6th Baron Byron, makes his first speech in the House of Lords, defending Luddites who were smashing industrial machines. 🎩
   
• 1845 – The Portland Vase, believed to date back to the 1st century BC, is smashed into more than 80 pieces by a drunken visitor at the British Museum. It was painstakingly restored later. 🏺
   
• 1914 – Charlie Chaplin debuts his iconic character, The Tramp, in the silent film Kid Auto Races at Venice. 🎥
   
• 1928 – Australian aviator Bert Hinkler takes off from Croydon Airport on the first solo flight from England to Australia, completing the journey in 15 and a half days. ✈️
   
• 1940 – Walt Disney's second full-length animated film, Pinocchio, premieres in New York City, becoming a beloved classic. 🧚‍♂️
   
• 1980 – Pink Floyd perform The Wall live for the first time at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, creating one of rock’s most legendary stage shows. 🎸
   
• 2018 – A DNA study published in Nature reveals that all citrus fruits trace back to the southeast foothills of the Himalayas. 🍊
   
• 2018 – DNA analysis of Cheddar Man, the UK’s oldest complete skeleton, shows he had dark skin and blue eyes, challenging traditional assumptions about ancient Britons. 🧬