Weird, Wonderful World
George Lucas’s Star Wars saga spans nine main movies, spinoffs like Rogue One and Solo, and The Mandalorian. That’s a lot of Star Wars, and it doesn’t even count all these other Star Wars projects that almost got made…but didn’t. Before handing off directorial duties on the third produced Star Wars movie, Return of the […]
Here’s a look at some of the women who broke the glass ceiling in American politics and became the first females to hold important offices. First elected female mayor In 1887, women in Kansas attained the right to vote and run for office. That year, the town of Argonia held its elections; mayor was on […]
Everybody wants to be the best, but you know what’s more interesting? The worst. Here are some of the most spectacular flops to ever come along and utterly fail in their attempts to entertain. Worst Movie of All Time? After seeing a double-feature of musical duds Can’t Stop the Music (starring the Village People) and […]
Here are some edibles you may not have heard of…and may not want to go anywhere near. Durian Native to parts of Asia, the durian is so rank that passengers aren’t allowed to bring them onto the Singapore Mass Transit. With a spiky skin and a taste that’s been likened to fruit-flavored ice cream, the […]
With millions of us cooped up at home right now due to shelter-in-place orders, it’s pretty ironic that up until a few months ago, one of the most popular entertainments in America over the last few years was the “escape room.” The true experts on escapes: People who somehow broke out of an impenetrable prison […]
This year, the world has dealt with a pandemic — an epidemic of an illness, but on a global scale — the likes of which most of us haven’t seen in our lifetimes. The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19 has changed daily life (and terrified) billions, and it’s the first time in about a century humanity […]
With virtually all of recorded music at your fingertips when you open Spotify or Apple Music, it can be overwhelming to decide what to listen you. Allow us to help: Avoid these albums at all costs. Kevin Federline, Playing with Fire Hitting stores in 2006 was the first (and so far, only) album by Federline, a […]
For years, Portable Press has brought you fantastic nonfiction books, but recently we decided to take a whole new approach. Introducing Show Me History!, biographies of famous, notable, and important people presented in the graphic novel format. What’s a graphic novel? It’s kind of like a really long comic book. Here’s a bit more about the […]
They say it’s never too late to succeed in life, and it was true for these highly accomplished women who found fame and fortune after 40. The late Mary Higgins Clark (she passed away in February 2020) is among the bestselling authors of all time. More than 100 million copies of the more than 50 mystery […]
You know, you think you know somebody—like famous movie stars, musicians, politicians, and historical figures—and then you come to find out that they all worked as spies for the government. (They must have been pretty good spies then!)
Chances are, old age or a chronic condition is what will get you, so don’t worry so much about these unlikely, but potential, killers lurking all around. Icicles Ever hear that old riddle about how the “perfect” murder weapon is an icicle because it melts, thus destroying all evidence of its existence? Those sharp shards […]
The gift-giving (and receiving) holidays are on their way — you can just about hear the jingling bells in the distance and make out those flickering candle flames. The perfect gift for any occasion: a book. And we’ve got you covered — we’ve got lots of books for every taste! For the paternal cornball YOU: […]
Diamonds are a sparkly, fancy — and very expensive — miracle of science. Superman’s hands In many comic books, Superman showed off one of his coolest powers: He can squeeze a lump of coal into a diamond. Spoiler alert: Superman may be strong, but he isn’t real, and so doing making a diamond “by hand” […]
Put down that pumpkin spice latte (which doesn’t have any actual pumpkin in it, by the way) and check out these facts about everyone’s favorite gourd. Word Origins Origin of the word pumpkin: In 1584, French explorer Jacques Cartier visited what’s now Canada and reported seeing grow melons. The French then called them pompions, which […]
Everybody has heard of Albert Einstein, and everybody knows a handful of things about him. The only problem: They don’t know the whole truth about those facts. Einstein didn’t fail math as a kid. It’s one of those common factoids that’s most often repeated as words of comfort in times of failure, or to kids […]
Here are some common phrases and images that everybody knows…but if you use them, you just might owe somebody some money. A soft and crunchy tale On the second workday of every week, millions of Americans celebrate the wonderful but informal holiday of “Taco Tuesday.” That means they eat tacos, either prepared at home, or […]
Fast food burger places, barbecue joints, and Chinese restaurants remain stalwarts on the American food scene, outlasting a lot of other types of eateries that have come…and mostly gone. Fondue While the notion of dipping pieces of bread, meat, and vegetables in hot oil or cheese and calling it a (very filling) meal dates back […]
There’s a long association between beverages and songs — there are a lot of old country tunes about drinkin’, and Jimmy Buffett’s entire career is based on liking margaritas. Here are some times when musicians told the people what to drink…and they obliged. “The Piña Colada Song” popularized the piña colada The piña colada, a […]
