It’s more than just saying “hello?” Answering the phone in different countries and in different languages varies quite a bit, and depends on local customs and idioms. Here’s what you would say if you picked up a ringing phone in… Italian In Italy, the common greeting is “Pronto.” That translates roughly to “Ready,” as in, […]
Did Jim Morrison really leave the land of the living in 1971…or did he just slip out of the limelight? Some facts to consider from It’s a Conspiracy! by the National Insecurity Council.
Saturday Night Live is drawing some of its biggest ratings of its 40-year-plus history, thanks in part to stars like Kate McKinnon, and Alec Baldwin’s impression of President Donald Trump. But SNL isn’t just an American phenomenon—the show’s format has been exported to other countries. In 2014, SNL came to French-speaking Canada in the form […]
At least a trace of everything that’s ever happened or existed can be found on the internet. Except when it can’t. Obviously, this means there’s a conspiracy at play, or time travel, or “alternate timelines.” Those are the reasons some people out there have given to explain the bizarre cultural phenomenon of a collective, incorrect […]
The year 2001 marked the birth (and death) of a new professional league meant to rival the NFL. It didn’t work out, to say the least. Here’s a look at the rise and spectacular, rapid demise of the XFL. Origins The XFL was the result of corporate synergy at the time. NBC had just lost […]
According to statistics, Super Bowl Sunday is more than just a sporting event—it trails only Thanksgiving as America’s biggest food feast. So what’s wrong with a little overindulgence? Read on… Putting on the Feed Bag Every year on a Sunday in February, almost half the population of the United States gathers in groups around their […]
Not-so-funny stories about words and phrases that originated on the funny pages. Goon The word probably derives from gony, a slang term used by English sailors as a blanket term for large, goofy-looking seabirds like the pelican and albatross. It found its way into regular English in the late 19th century to describe individuals who […]
…and everything else you do in the bathroom, if the experts are to be believed. You’re leaving your toothbrush out A study by the University of Manchester in England found that the average toothbrush was loaded with germs—really nasty germs. There are probably about 10 million germs on your toothbrush at this moment, including the […]
Going to see a professional sporting event is interactive on some level—the players do their thing, and the fans cheer. That’s supposed to be the extent of it…except for these times, when fans got a little carried away and threw objects onto the field, diamond, or ice. Sharks A gruesome tradition began at a 2007 […]
Some amusing facts about the world’s angriest cartoon duck. First Appearance Donald’s first appearance was in the 1934 Disney short “The Wise Little Hens.” A take on the old children’s story “The Little Red Hen,” Donald and his friend, the now-forgotten Peter Pig, get too lazy while working on a farm and wind up with […]
On your next vacation, you could go to a stuffy museum filled with art and cultural relics…or you could go learn a thing or two about potatoes and noodles. Canadian Potato Museum Historically, one of the biggest cash crops from Canada’s maritime province Prince Edward Island is the potato. As such, the Canadian Potato Museum […]
In honor of the handful of humans who have left the planet, here are some stories about the other unique experiences that astronauts have had. Space Gas As part of the Apollo 16 mission in 1972, astronaut John Young became the ninth person to ever walk on the moon. But he’s the first to have […]
Prince Philip of England has announced that he will retire from public life later this year. With more than 60 years in the public eye as the companion of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip had to find a way to personally distinguish himself. He did that in part by attending thousands of public events, meeting […]
Today is Star Wars Day. Why? Because it’s May the 4th…and May the 4th be with you. Get it? With the original trilogy, three prequels, a new trilogy of sequels, and an increasing number of standalone, offshoot films, the Star Wars movie universe is huge. But the first planned sequel was never produced. Here’s the […]
Professional athlete salaries are out of this world—they’re so huge that many of those professional athletes can retire with enough money to buy something really expensive. Like a professional sports team. Michael Jordan Michael Jordan is from North Carolina, and in 2006 he bought a portion of the state’s NBA team, the Charlotte Bobcats. Now […]
Perhaps you know James Lipton as the pretentious, ultra-serious host of Inside the Actors Studio. (Or Will Ferrell’s impression of him on Saturday Night Live.) The bearded dean of the acting craft has lived a very colorful life, and here are some other ways he contributed to pop culture. Radio Actor Lipton is 90 years […]
You’ll probably want to read this article twice. (You’ll probably want to read this article twice.) Saving Daylight, Creating Confusion In November 2016, twins Samuel and Ronan Peterson were born at Cape Cod Hospital in Massachusetts. Samuel came into the world at precisely 1:39 a.m. on Sunday, November 6, while Ronan was born exactly 31 […]
It’s almost summer, so prepare for the good life with some of these mini-holidays coming up this month. May 1: School Principals’ Day There are several observances to celebrate teachers, as everybody can think back to at least one teacher who inspired them, or helped shape them into the people they are today. But you […]
