Weird, Wonderful World
There are a lot of laws around the world preventing one company from controlling the market for a single product…but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still happen. ZIPPERS Are you wearing a zip-up sweatshirt or a pair of jeans? Look closely at the zipper (we’ll wait). It very likely has a small “YKK” embossed on […]
It’s cold and flu season, so your head and nose are probably already clogged. Let us help you clear at least your brain by demystifying some commonly believed mistruths about colds and flus. Myth: You can catch a cold or the flu by going out in cold weather without a coat or hat, or with […]
Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (1889) is one of Vincent van Gogh’s most recognizable paintings The bandaged right side of his face has fascinated art historians for decades—some believe he only sliced the earlobe, while others wonder if the wound was not selfinflicted at all. (This article was first published in Who Knew?) An Earful of […]
There’s a “holiday” for anything and everything anymore, but the humble and wonderful sandwich is truly deserving of its own day. Here are some origins of some legendary ‘wiches. Elvis Sandwich One of those pieces of trivia everybody seems to know regards Elvis Presley’s affinity for peanut butter sandwiches. As a kid, he liked peanut […]
It’s America’s favorite sandwich cookie, and it’s stayed the same for decades. Recently, however, Oreos seem to have gone a little mad. OREOOPS To generate press and differentiate itself over its competition, Nabisco has rolled out dozens of new Oreo flavors over the past couple of years, from Caramel Apple to Candy Corn to Swedish […]
When out and about dealing with spooky ghosts this Halloween, you’ll likely hear a boo or two. Here’s why those spirits and sprites do boo they way they do. Full disclosure: None of us here at Bathroom Reader HQ have actually seen a ghost…let alone hear one. But in old books, movies, and TV shows, […]
Uncle John would never destroy his own work—he just couldn’t do that to all those poor little fun facts. Maybe it’s just different with fiction, because these authors didn’t want their unfinished work released after their deaths, and they went to great lengths to make sure their wishes were honored. Edward Albee Acclaimed American playwright […]
Here’s to the pioneers behind some of the biggest innovations in American history: the people who made fast food what it is. First fast food restaurant The first to offer quick food on the go: A&W. Beginning in 1919 they served their draft root beer at a walk-up stand in Sacramento, California, and soon began […]
We’ve all had those moments—when something completely unexpected scares the c**p out of us. It gives us something to laugh about…later.
Wine is usually just some fermented grape juice, but it could be just about anything. Wines are made out of sunflowers, strawberries…and this stuff, too, if you’re feeling adventurous. Asparagus Wine Oceana County, Michigan, is the “Asparagus Capital of the World.” That means they’ve got a lot of the stalky green vegetable that makes urine […]
As a fad, baggy hip-hop jeans have lasted longer than bell-bottoms and parachute pants…combined
Colors have a lot more impact on our daily lives than you might think. Here are some things researchers have found out about people and their perceptions and responses to colors.
As with many common phrases that have been around for seemingly forever, there are a lot of possible stories about its origin. The Plague of Justinian The Plague of Justinian was a particularly nasty plague that hit Europe hard during the late 6th century. Europe was dominated by the Roman Catholic Church at the time, […]
The science of how processed foods and consumer products are made is absolutely fascinating…and a little stomach-turning, too. Raisin the Steaks A number of tangy, Worcestershire sauce-like steak sauces, such as A1, contain raisin paste. That’s just dried grapes—raisins—mushed into a paste and mixed up with the other herbs, spices, and flavorings. It’s traditionally been […]
The man who founded Playboy in 1953 has passed away at age 91. Even aside from creating a media empire, Hef lived a pretty interesting life. He Was Fascinated With Marilyn Monroe Part of the reason why Playboy the magazine took off right away is because of its marketing hook: issue no. 1 featured racy […]
When Uncle John was a kid, the basic food groups were meat, bread, vegetables, and dairy products. Uncle John always wondered why they left out the other basic food groups: coffee, candy, cold soup, fish sticks, corn dogs, and salad dressing.
Myth: It doesn’t come from chocolate milk-giving cows. Truth: Everything else in this article. Columbus brought cocoa back to Europe from the Americas in the early 1500s, but it didn’t catch on. After Spanish explorer Cortez overran the Aztecs a few decades later, he brought cocoa to Europe again, although he added sugar and cinnamon […]
Or rather the words breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast That’s easy—it’s an English word that developed to connote the first bit of food taken after a person wakes up. They’ve been sleeping, and so not eating, which means any food is “breaking the fast” they’ve been engaged in. Dinner As late as the mid-20th century, […]
