Weird, Wonderful World
We’ve talked about strange beer flavors before—and we talked about them again in our book Beer-Topia—but all those craft brewers out there keep coming up with more and more bizarre beers. Here’s another round. Hvalur 2 Stedji Brewery is based in Iceland, where the population has traditionally lived off the land, or more accurately, the […]
On this day in 1933, the first ever American daytime serial, Marie, the Little French Princess, debuted on CBS Radio. “Soap operas,” as they came to be known on both radio, and eventually television, because sponsors were primarily cleaning products, have been a part of the cultural landscape ever since. Like “sands through the hourglass” […]
Some TV show titles make perfect sense—Friends is about some friends, and The Sopranos is about a family called the Sopranos, for example. Other titles are a bit harder to crack—like these. Dragnet Procedurals are a big part of TV today—formulaic crime shows in which police detectives dutifully go through all the steps they’re supposed […]
In the Catholic Church calendar, today marks the beginning of Lent. It’s 40-day period that precedes Easter (and follows Mardi Gras), and is a period of reflection and fasting. Along with it comes a rule that Catholics abstain from eating meat on Fridays during that period—but fish is fine. What technically constitutes “meat” is a […]
As winter winds down, here’s a look at how a few unique coats and jackets got their names. Blazer Also known as a sportjacket, the blazer doesn’t seem to be something one would associate with burning flames, or a “blaze.” They’re actually quite the opposite—tasteful, sedate, and usually found in subdued colors like navy blue […]
What’s America’s favorite drug? You guessed it—caffeine. We use more caffeine than all other drugs—legal or illegal—combined. Want to know what the stuff is doing to you? Here’s a quick overview. Background If you start the day with a strong cup of coffee or tea, you’re not alone. Americans ingest the caffeine equivalent of 530 […]
Some great reasons to buy, not rent. Victim Eviction Dorothea Thomas of Jacksonville, North Carolina, was attacked in her apartment by an ex-boyfriend. Thomas, a police officer and former Marine, suffered six gunshot wounds but was able to escape by jumping out of a second-story window. When she was released from the hospital a week […]
If we were Modern Bride magazine, we’d probably call these “wedding traditions” rather than superstitions. But think about it—most of them were started by people who believed in evil spirits and witches and talismans. Bridal Veil The veil has served a number of purposes throughout history, including: 1) protecting the bride from the “evil eye;” […]
Here’s a look at the origins, history, and accuracy rates of Groundhog Day, the most important meteorologically psychic animal-based holiday on the calendar. It’s obviously not the most scientific barometer to predict six weeks of weather patterns based on what a giant rodent does (or at least what a giant rodent does on one morning), […]
It’s a new year, so the new world record books are out. Here are some people who in the last days of 2016 and the early days of 2017 set some very impressive (and very weird) world records.
Today is one of those silly holidays we all love. Sort of like how September 19 is “Talk Like a Pirate Day,” make sure to talk like an old timey prospector each January 24. Here’s a primer.
Well, the Inauguration has happened, so the long election of 2016 is now officially over. Time to start looking ahead to 2020! A handful of candidates have already at least sort of declared their intention to make a run for the White House in four years’ time.
America has a number of iconic places where some amazing history has happened. What does all that add up to? Ghosts. Here are some spooky stories you may have never heard about American landmarks. The Ghost Ship of the Golden Gate Bridge It gets pretty foggy in San Francisco, particularly around Golden Gate Strait. In […]
For the person who has more money than they know what to do with. Chanel Segway EXPLANATION: If a no-frills Segway isn’t expensive enough (around $5,000), now you can get a super-deluxe Chanel Edition Segway. It’s the same as a regular Segway, but with quilted leather mudflaps and a Chanel handbag mounted on the front. […]
Crazy fad diets go back a long way. Here’s what some stars of old Hollywood did when they wanted to drop a few pounds. Marilyn Monroe Two raw eggs whipped in warm milk for breakfast, no lunch, and for dinner broiled liver, steak, or lamb, and five carrots. Jean Harlow She occasionally went on “The […]
Bathrooms, toilets, and toilet paper should only be used as a force for good. But sometimes people end up using the facilities for more nefarious deeds. It is for these people that Uncle John created the “Stall of Shame.” Ralph Curry of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania Claim to Fame: Putting Mr. Potato in the head True […]
It’s a pretty big day at BRI headquarters: It’s Trivia Day, an internationally recognized fun holiday. On that note, here’s some trivia about, well, trivia! Trivia doesn’t necessarily mean “trivial.” It actually originally meant something more like “common” or “basic.” In ancient Rome, the word triviae meant a road that forked into two or three […]
So many beloved celebrities left us this year that it really did seem like 2016 had a chip on its shoulder. Here are some words of wisdom from the dearly departed to remind us why they were so beloved. “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.” –Muhammad Ali […]
