A Novel Idea
In Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games" series, the story revolves around the Everdeen sisters, where the younger sister, Primrose Everdeen, displays incredible courage by volunteering as tribute in place of her older sister, Katniss Everdeen. Primrose's selfless act leads her into the deadly Hunger Games, showcasing her journey of survival amidst the Capitol's manipulative games.
Um, actually, in "The Hunger Games" series, it's Katniss Everdeen who volunteers as tribute in place of her younger sister, Primrose
In the AFL, the match is played between two teams of 15 players each, aiming to score goals by kicking the ball between the tall goalposts for six points or through the shorter goalposts for one point. The game consists of four quarters, each lasting around 20 minutes of playing time, with the objective being to outscore the opposing team by accumulating more points. Players maneuver the ball by handballing, kicking, or running with it, striving to pass it to teammates and create scoring opportunities while adhering to the rules that regulate tackles, marks, and disposal of the ball.
Um, actually, in the AFL, a match is played between two teams of 18 players each
"Fortnite" is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) where players collaborate to complete quests, build structures, and explore a post-apocalyptic world.
Um, actually, "Fortnite" is a battle royale game where players compete against each other in a last-player-standing format
In Verona, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, from rival families, fall in love at a masquerade ball. They secretly wed with the help of Friar Laurence but tragedy unfolds when a duel results in Mercutio's death and Romeo's banishment. In response, Romeo takes a potion to feign his death, but Juliet, unaware of the plan, believes he is truly dead. She takes her life beside him. Upon awakening and discovering Juliet's death, Romeo follows suit. The tragic deaths of the young lovers reconcile their families' long-standing feud.
Um, actually, it's Juliet who pretends to be dead, and Romeo who thinks it's real
Penguins are exclusively found in cold climates like Antarctica, where they waddle on icebergs and dive into frigid waters to hunt for fish. Highly adapted for life in the ocean water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage and flippers for swimming. Most penguins feed on krill, fish, squid and other forms of sea life.
Um, actually, while many penguin species inhabit cold regions, some species, like the Galapagos penguin, reside in warmer climates.
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service where registered users can post text, images and videos. Originally, posts had to be a maximum of 140 characters in length; this has since been doubled for the general population, and increased to 4,000 characters for paid users.
Um, actually, it's no longer called 'Twitter', it's called 'X'
In "Iron Man," genius billionaire Tony Stark, an arms manufacturer, is captured by terrorists using his own weapons. He builds a powerful suit to escape, realising the devastation caused by his creations. Stark refines the suit and becomes Iron Man, aiming to stop weapons production and protect the innocent. He battles his former business partner, Obadiah Stane, who seeks to profit from Stark's technology. His secret identity is revealed by an investigative reporter at the end of the film.
Um, actually, he reveals himself to be Iron Man.
J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series introduces Luna Lovegood. She was first seen in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and is a unique and eccentric character who embodies the values of bravery and chivalry, earning her a place in Gryffindor house at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Um, actually, Luna Lovegood was sorted into Ravenclaw.
The culmination of each year of the AFL is the Grand Final. Three clubs, Melbourne, Collingwood and Essendon, have won the most VFL/AFL premierships, with 16 each. All teams currently competing in the AFL except Gold Coast, Fremantle and Greater Western Sydney (three of the four newest clubs) have won a premiership, and all except Gold Coast have played in a grand final.
Um, actually, Cartlon, Collingwood and Essendon, have won the most VFL/AFL premierships
The Five Nights at Freddy's game series consists of nine video games taking place in locations connected to a fictional family pizza restaurant franchise named "Freddy Fazbear's Pizza", after its mascot, the animatronic bear Freddy Fazbear. In most games, the player assumes the role of a night-time employee, who must utilise tools such as security cameras, lights, doors, and vents to defend themselves against animatronic characters who inhabit the locations and become mobile and hostile during the full moon.
Um, actually, the animatronic characters become mobile and hostile at night
In "Twelfth Night", a shipwrecked Viola disguises herself as a man, Cesario, to serve Duke Orsino. Orsino sends Cesario to woo Countess Olivia, who falls for Cesario instead. Viola, secretly in love with Orsino, faces confusion when Olivia falls for her male disguise. Ultimately, Viola's twin brother, Sebastian, thought to be dead, reappears. The play concludes with marriages, revealing Viola's true identity. It was adapted into the teen comedy Mean Girls.
Um, actually, it was adapted into the teen comedy 'She's the Man'
Elephants are the largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They tend to live in family groups, with the leader of a each group, usually the oldest male, is known as the patriarch. Distinctive features of elephants include a long proboscis called a trunk, tusks, large ear flaps, pillar-like legs, and tough but sensitive grey skin.
Um, actually, family groups are headed by females called matriarchs.
TikTok was launched in the international market in September 2017, and has reached 2 billion downloads worldwide. The app has spawned numerous viral trends, Internet celebrities, and music trends around the world. Many stars got their start on the platform, including Loren Gray, Justin Bieber , Zach King, and Lisa and Lena.
Um, actualy, Justin Bieber was discovered on YouTube.
After the death of his father Mufasa in "The Lion King", Simba is led to believe by Scar that he is responsible. This prompts him to flee the Pride Lands where he almost perishes, but is saved from pursuing hyenas by Timon and Pumba. The two outcasts raise the lost prince until he is ready to return to Pride Rock after being discovered by his old friend Nala.
Um, actually, Timon and Pumba don't save him from the hyenas
Veronica Roth's "Divergent" series follows the protagonist, Tris Prior, in a dystopian Chicago society divided into five factions based on personality traits. Tris hails from the selfless Dauntless faction but discovers she is "Divergent," possessing traits of multiple factions. During the Choosing Ceremony, she joins the Abnegation faction known for bravery and courage, not her original faction. This decision sets her on a path of self-discovery, facing challenges and uncovering secrets that threaten the society's stability.
Um, actually, Tris began in the Abnegation faction, but transferred to the Dauntless faction
The MCG has been the traditional home of the AFL grandfinal, being first played there in 1902 (when it was still the VFL). When the VFL became the AFL in 1990, the Grand Final was between Collingwood and Essendon, with Collingwood winning 89 to 41. During COVID, the Grand Final had to be moved twice, first to the Perth Stadium in 2020, and then to the GABBA in 2021.
Um, actually, the AFL grand final was held at the GABBA in 2020 and Perth Stadium in 2021.
Minecraft is a sandbox game developed by Mojang Studios and originally released in a limited format in 2009. The game was created by Markus "Scotch" Persson in the Java programming language. It was fully released in November 2011, with Notch stepping down and Jens "Jeb" Bergensten taking over development. Minecraft has become the best-selling video game in history, with over 300 million copies sold and nearly 140 million monthly active players as of 2023.
Um, actually, Markus Persson's alias is "Notch"
Both 'The Taming of the Shrew' and its modern adaptation '10 Things I Hate About You' center around headstrong female protagonists—Katherine in the play and Kat in the film (played by Julia Stiles) —and their romantic entanglements. The main male characters, Petruchio in the play and Patrick in the film (played by Joseph Gordon Levitt), undertake the challenge of courting and 'taming' these strong-willed women. However, while 'The Taming of the Shrew' unfolds in 16th-century Padua, the modern adaptation '10 Things I Hate About You' is set in a contemporary American high school.
Um, actually, Patrick was played by Heath Ledger (JGL played Cameron)
Bats are blind creatures that navigate through the night sky using echolocation, emitting high-pitched sounds to locate their prey. With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. The second largest order of mammals after rodents, bats comprise about 20% of all classified mammal species worldwide, with over 1,400 species.
Um, actually, while bats use echolocation to navigate in darkness and find prey, most bats are not blind.
Instagram is an American photo and video sharing social networking service. It distinguishes itself by only allowing content to be framed in a square (1:1) aspect ratio of 640 pixels. Originally launched for iOS in October 2010, it is now owned by Meta Platforms (the same people who own Facebook), and it allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters, be organised by hashtags.
Um, actually, you can now upload media that isn't 1:1 ratio
In Star Wars, Chewbacca is a Wookiee from the forested planet of Endor who serves as the co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon. After the Clone Wars, Chewbacca was separated from his family and tribe, becoming a fugitive. Betrayed by a bounty hunter, he was turned over to the Empire ending up on Mimban and kept shackled in a muddy, makeshift prison, where he met his ultimate ally, Han Solo.
Um, actually, Chewbacca hails from the planet Kashyyyk.
In Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series, particularly in the book "The Sea of Monsters," Percy Jackson, a demigod son of Poseidon, embarks on a perilous quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece to save the life of his friend Grover. Alongside his friends Annabeth Chase and Tyson, a Cyclops and Percy's half-brother, they encounter mythical creatures and gods while navigating the treacherous Sea of Monsters, also known as the Bermuda Triangle.
Um, actually, Percy is questing to save Camp Half-Blood, not his friend Grover
The Brownlow Medal in the Australian Football League (AFL) stands as one of the most prestigious individual awards in the league, honoring the player who kicked the most goals throughout the regular season. Named after Charles Brownlow, a former Geelong Football Club player and administrator. The ceremony is currently held on the Monday five days prior to the AFL Grand Final. Only three times since the award's inception in 1924 has the count been held outside of Melbourne: when it was held in Sydney in 1999, and in 2020 and 2021 when the event was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Um, actually, the Brownlow Medal in the AFL is not awarded to the leading goal scorer but holds significant prestige as the league's highest individual honor for the fairest and best player throughout the regular season.
World of Warcraft (WoW) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment set on the fantasy world of Azeroth. Players can choose to support the Alliance or Horde factions. Although the options have since expanded, players were originally limited in what they could play, with only the Alliance having access to Shamans, and the Horde having access to Paladins.
Um, actually, originally the Horde had access to shamans and the alliance had access to paladins
"Macbeth," a tragedy by William Shakespeare, follows the ambitious English warrior Macbeth, urged by supernatural prophecies and his wife, Lady Macbeth, to seize power. Macbeth murders King Duncan to take the throne for himself. Paranoia leads to further atrocities, including the murder of Banquo. Macbeth succumbs to guilt and paranoia. Lady Macbeth's guilt drives her to madness and suicide. Macbeth confronts Macduff in battle, leading to his demise.
Um, actually, Macbeth is Scottish, not English
Crocodiles are large semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. Although they appear similar, crocodiles and alligators belong to separate biological families. They have evolved sharp teeth for piercing their prey, which they hold in place with powerful forearms. Crocodiles can move quickly over short distances, even out of water.
Um, actually, crocodiles do not use their arms for holding prey (they're to short).
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg. Originally only available to people who worked in Wall St, it expanded to the general population in 2006. Facebook has often been criticised over issues such as user privacy, political manipulation, and mass surveillance. It currently has almost 3 billion monthly users.
Um, actually, membership was initially limited to Harvard students, not Wall St
Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a tabletop role-playing game where players create characters, embark on adventures, and collectively weave stories in a fantasy world. Led by a Dungeon Master, participants navigate quests, interact with non-player characters, solve puzzles, and engage in combat using dice rolls to determine outcomes. Players choose classes like wizards or warriors, develop skills, and collaborate through imaginative storytelling, fostering creativity, teamwork, problem-solving, and improvisation. Players have 7 dice that decide whether they succeed or fail at various tasks.
Um, actually, there is no warrior class (there is a fighter)
In J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, Frodo Baggins, accompanied by his loyal friends including Samwise Gamgee, sets out to destroy the One Ring, an artifact forged by Sauron, in the fires of Mount Doom to save Middle-earth. The ring was previously in possession of Gollum, a human who was twisted by the power of the ring into a bent-backed cave-dweller obsessed with reclaiming it.
Um, actually, Gollum was originally a hobbit before being corrupted by the ring
Australian Rules football evolved in Melbourne in the early 1900s. An Aboriginal game known as marngrook and Gaelic football, played in Ireland, have been cited as inspiration but the game was mainly based on football played in English schools. Transported to the parklands of Melbourne, the game was shaped by the vast open spaces and the men who played it.
Um, actually, Australian Rules football began in the mid 19th Century (1800s)
In Tetris, players complete lines by moving differently shaped pieces (tetrominoes), which descend onto the playing field. The completed lines grant the player power bonuses. The game ends when the uncleared lines reach the top of the playing field. The longer the player can delay this outcome, the higher their score will be.
Um, actually, the completed lines disappear and grant the player points
Prince Hamlet of Denmark seeks vengeance for his father's death after discovering that his uncle Claudius, now king, murdered the former king. Hamlet pretends to be insane, while his relationships with his love Ophelia, and his mother Gertrude become strained. Through soliloquies like 'To be or not to be,' Hamlet debates existence and mortality. The tragedy ends in a tragic conclusion where almost all characters are dead, with only Hamlet left to regret what his vengeance has wrought.
Um, actually, Hamlet is also dead at the end.
Kangaroos have large, powerful hind legs, large feet adapted for leaping, a long muscular tail for balance, and a small head. Like most marsupials, female kangaroos have a pouch in which joeys reside after birth. The kangaroo is one of the symbols of Australia; it appears on the Australian coat of arms, twenty-cent piece, and is used as a logo for some of Australia's most well-known organisations, such as Qantas
Um, actually, the kangaroo appears on the 50c piece and the $1 coin.
Myspace is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003 (three years before Facebook) you could have unlimited friends on the platform, but only a select few showed up on your home feed for visitors to see. Users added songs to their profiles that played automatically when you visited, which was definitely not annoying. The site closed in 2018 after no longer being able to compete with more modern sites.
Um, actually, Myspace is still around (though these days it's more about music and entertainment).
In Star Trek, humanity is gifted the technology to travel through space after being visited by the Vulcans in 2063. They have since encountered many other races throughout the galaxy, including the Romulans, Klingons, and the Borg.
Um, actually, First Contact between humans and Vulcans occurred a human inventor successfully conducted Earth's first warp flight, which attracted the attention of a passing Vulcan survey ship