Weird, Wonderful WorldLanguage changes over time, as old words morph into new ones. But where do they all come from? Here are some more interesting origins. Leprechaun Meaning: A small, mischievous sprite who can reveal hidden treasure to those who catch him Origin: “The leprechauns are a race of Irish elves, usually portrayed as cobblers. One theory […]
And here’s one more: Those four presidential heads carved into a mountain in South Dakota are not naturally occurring. It could have been carved into a different formation It was the idea of South Dakota state historian Doane Robinson to carve faces of iconic historical figures into the side of a mountain in the Black […]
Why did a major city change its name? Because the government said so. Why did it change it back? Because the city asked nicely. For 20 years. See if you can figure out this riddle: The Pittsburgh Pirates are one of the oldest teams in Major League Baseball, joining the National League in 1887. The […]
For some reason even the most mundane objects can become valuable if a celebrity owned—or even just touched—them. This article was first published in our 29th annual edition, Uncle John’s Uncanny Bathroom Reader. Scarlett Johansson Scarlett Johansson appeared on The Tonight Show in 2008 while sick with a cold. After the show, she was persuaded […]
You could use your wealth to buy cars, houses, yachts…or action figures. This article was first published in our 29th annual edition, Uncle John’s Uncanny Bathroom Reader. Rick Springfield Rick Springfield, who performed the 1980s hit “Jessie’s Girl”, has one of the largest and most complete collections of Star Wars toys in the world. Demi […]
It’s a simple dessert…with a complicated story. Chess pie is a classic, old-fashioned Southern dessert. It’s sort of like a cheesecake, in that it’s refrigerator-hardened and sweetened custard set inside of a pie crust. The first printed recipe dates back to the mid-1700s in a cookbook called Martha Washington’s Booke of Cookery. The recipe has […]
Twice a year, the English monarch bestows “honours” upon notable Britons who have made major contributions to the world, including scientists, entertainers, and politicians. But not everybody who is named “Sir” or “Dame” or an “Officer of the British Empire” wants to be one. Here are a few who told the Crown, “Thanks, but no […]
Bad news: Your horoscope has been wrong this entire time. By which we mean it’s been wrong forever. (If you believe in that kind of stuff, we mean.) Those “Star Signs” are based on real collections of stars in the night sky, and NASA just made a big discovery about them. According to recent research […]
You don’t expect to find human remains when remodeling a house or cleaning out a basement. But these folks did. Here are their macabre—but fascinating—stories. This article was first published in Uncle John’s Uncanny Bathroom Reader. Body #1 A carpenter named Bob Kinghorn was doing renovations on a house in a Toronto, Ontario, neighborhood in […]
Who will win the election on November 8? Just pay attention to the cookies, football, and the costume store…unless they’re wrong. (Prognostication isn’t an exact science, people.) NFL If the NFL’s team in Washington, D.C. wins its last home game that takes place before the presidential election, the incumbent—or the incumbent party—wins. Since Washington beat […]
Ever since the trampoline-jumping, basketball-dunking Phoenix Suns Gorilla burst onto the scene in 1980, teams have wanted their mascots to be bigger, faster, stronger…but sometimes it comes with a price. This article was first published in Uncle John’s Uncanny Bathroom Reader. Rocky the Mountain Lion In 2013, the Denver Nuggets’ mascot, Rocky the Mountain Lion, […]
Just in time for Halloween, something very spooky has occurred at one of the spookiest places in the United States. Rifle magnate William Wirt Winchester died in 1881, leaving behind his vast fortune to his wife, Sarah Winchester. Part of her windfall was allocated to building a Queen Anne-style mansion in San Jose, California. Around […]
Many NASCAR, Formula One, and IndyCar drivers put themselves through some very peculiar rituals, in the belief that if they don’t, bad luck will curse them to lose their race…or worse. This article was first published in our 29th annual edition, Uncle John’s Uncanny Bathroom Reader. Don’t Drive a Green Car Just a few months […]
Sure, you could vote for one of the major party candidates…or you could vote for Alice Cooper! The 1970s shock rocker has thrown his hat into the ring in the race to be Commander-in-Chief. Running for president this year (but only as a goof) is “No More Mr. Nice Guy” and “I’m Eighteen” horror-rocker/radio host/golfer […]
It’s that time of year when the Nobel Prize is awarded for achievements in a number of disciplines. Swedish inventor and philanthropist Albert Nobel (1833-1896) donated his fortune (from being the creator of dynamite) to provide large monetary prizes to recognize annual major contributors to the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace…but not […]
Here’s a look at how much money Americans made in the year just before the Civil War started…and what they had to spend that money on. Nickel and Dimed There were few labor laws in the United States at the time. The average work week was 60 hours (10 hours a day, six days a […]
Uncle John knows pretty much everything—and if he doesn’t, he puts one of his many researchers on the case. So go ahead: In the comments below, ask Uncle John anything. (And if we answer your question sometime, we’ll send you a free book!) Where does the phrase “going to the loo” come from? Uncle John […]
Some mouthwatering facts about everyone’s favorite snack. This article was first published in our 29th annual edition, Uncle John’ Uncanny Bathroom Reader. Americans spend more than $4 billion annually on bacon. Bacon dates back at least 3,500 years. The Chinese were the first to cook salted pork bellies. The salt preserved the meat so it […]
