The French Clauses
The two Santas that deliver gifts to well behaved kids in France are pretty weird. One of them also has a very crazy sidekick.
Weird, Wonderful World
3 Modern Christmas Tales
Here’s a trio of recent Christmas stories that will help you get into the spirit of the season.
Operators Are Standing By: A Look Back at Time Life Books
Back in the day, Time Life made a killing by shipping lightly educational book series to households all around the world. How many of these weird book collections do you remember? The Civil War Time Life launched their book division in the early ‘60s. The books were high quality, featured top notch photography and illustrations, […]
7 Facts About F. Scott Fitzgerald
75 years ago today, F. Scott Fitzgerald died at age 44. Today he’s most famous for The Great Gatsby, a book not widely appreciated in his lifetime…which was difficult to say the least. Fitzgerald became an overnight sensation in 1920 with This Side of Paradise, a huge hit novel about post World War I youth […]
3 Weird Fast Food Flops
Much like customers at a fast food joint, these menu items came…and left. In September 2013, McDonald’s introduced Mighty Wings—breaded bone-in chicken wings. It seemed a natural fit for the fast food behemoth, but it ended up being one of the chain’s most costly mistakes. After purchasing 50 million pounds of chicken wings from poultry […]
5 Facts About Miss Universe
Unfortunately, only Earth women compete in the Miss Universe pageant, which will take place on December 20. In 2002, billionaire Donald Trump bought 50 percent of the Miss Universe Organization, and co-owner NBC broadcast the annual event. (This TV partnership soon led to Trump’s NBC reality show The Apprentice.) After Trump made comments about […]
Three Horrifying Hotels
Bed and breakfast…or dead and breakfast? Omni Parker House (Boston) It was founded in 1855 by Harvey Parker, who still likes to check in on the guests and make sure that they’re enjoying themselves, even though he died in 1884. And the ghost that inhabits room 303 served as the inspiration for 1408, a Stephen […]
Long Live the Tiki Bar!
Polynesian-themed bars were once incredibly popular but they fell out of favor in the ‘80s. Now they’re in the middle of a revival. Trader Sam’s The Disney theme parks helped further bring Polynesian culture to America with the Enchanted Tiki Room, a long-running attraction that features animatronic idols and chattering robotic birds. Disneyland and Disney […]
The Great GPS Treasure Hunt
Have you ever wanted to go on a treasure hunt? Does trying to reach a random location sound like a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon? Then you may want to try geocaching . The concept is simple. After jotting down coordinates via a website or logging onto an app with their smartphones, geocachers […]
Old Bathrooms, New Tricks
What does one do with an old public bathroom when it’s no longer needed (or collapses during a hurricane)? Turn it into something else, of course! The Attendant (London) This underground, Victorian-era bathroom is located in London’s trendy Soho district. Originally constructed around 1890, it was abandoned in the 1960s before being converted into a […]
Flying the Friendly Skies (When You’re Rich)
While seats are getting more cramped in economy class, modern air travel has become better than ever for those willing to shell out some extra dough. Singapore Airlines Suites First class passengers on Singapore Airlines can enjoy what is likely the fanciest cabin in the skies on the company’s A380 jets. They can choose between […]
Pros vs. Cons
It’s like The Longest Yard in real life: professionals pitted against prisoners. The Sing Sing Black Sheep New York state’s Sing Sing is one of the most notoriously tough prisons in America. In 1931, Lewis E. Lawes was running Sing Sing and the decision was made to start a prison football team as a form […]
In-N-Out and the Great Hamburger Hoaxes of ‘15
The West Coast burger chain In-N-Out enjoys a rabid following for its almost mythically good “double doubles” and fries. (They just opened one near BRI headquarters and Uncle John has moved his office to a booth in the back.) People want an In-N-Out near them so badly they’ll believe anyone who tells them there’s one […]
6 Weird Ways to Wake Up Without a Cup of Coffee
Stuck in an afternoon slump and you can’t go get a cup of coffee, and the boss has asked you to stop taking naps at your desk? Here are some alternatives. There’s a yoga pose/stretching technique called the “fish pose” that adherents say stimulates the body. Lie flat, on our back, and hold your hands […]
Only in Canada
Here are a few really weird news stories…that could only have happened in Canada.
Angry Birds
Here are some awful avians and foul fowl that have made headlines recently. Cunning Cassowaries The cassowary is widely considered the most dangerous bird on the planet. Native to New Guinea and Australia, cassowaries have super sharp claws and powerful legs. They can run at speeds of up to 31 mph and can jump nearly […]
Underwear Economics
When economists want to get a sense of how the economy is doing, they look at things like the prime lending rate, the unemployment rate, and the Dow Jones Average. It turns out that’s not all they look at. (This article was originally published in Uncle John’s Weird Weird World EPIC.) Down Under Alan Greenspan was […]
The Toilet Ghosts of Japan
It would seem that the nation has a major problem with bathroom banshees. Akai-Kami-Aoi-Kami According to modern Japanese folklore, Akai-Kami-Aoi-Kami likes to pop up in stalls to ask his female victims (he only pops up in women’s restrooms) a seemingly simple question: “Do you want red paper or blue paper?” Those who answer “red” are […]
