Weird, Wonderful World
Now that your completed taxes (and a check) are on their way to the government (unless you got an extension…or forgot), here’s a look at some of the strange ways Washington will invest your money. Christmas tree marketing Because they’re a seasonally harvested item, Christmas trees qualify as “specialty products” under Dept. of Agriculture guidelines, […]
News from the bathroom…specifically, the kinds of horrific things that can happen when a person doesn’t go to the bathroom for a while. TOO MUCH In February 2018, a man (his name was unsurprisingly not released in news reports) sought treatment at The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in Japan for an injury he […]
The baseball season has begun, and what better way to fill the long gaps between pitches by filling up your belly? Here are some of the most creative, interesting, and daunting concession items now available at Major League ballparks. Foot long hot dogs are yesterday’s news. They’re downright tiny when you compare them to the […]
Canada is a lot like the U.S., but it’s not nearly identical. Its culture and cuisine enjoy strong influences from England, Scotland, France, East Asia, and indigenous peoples…which makes for a number of unique food choices you’d scarcely find outside of the Great White North. Montreal bagels Montreal is a densely populated, cosmopolitan city on […]
There are so many pig-and-pork based products out there, and so many of them have colorful, fun-to-say names…that aren’t the most descriptive. Here’s a little primer. PORK RINDS They’re crispy like potato chips, but contain no starch at all — they’re fried pig skin. It’s made by simmering separated pork skin in boiling water, cut […]
GIVEAWAY CLOSE! Learn about amazing historical narratives in graphic novel format with our brand new series, Show Me History! Titles include Abraham Lincoln, Alexander Hamilton, Amelia Earhart, and Martin Luther King Jr. With contributions from renowned artists, illustrators, and authors that have worked with DC, Marvel, and the like, this new series is sure to excite! Perfect […]
They’re called “landmarks” for a reason — giant buildings that define a city, dot its skyline, and become monuments to human architectural achievement. Only the biggest and best buildings get official names, but sometimes those names change…and it’s hard to get anybody to call these institutions by that new moniker. Chicago’s Sears Tower Chicago’s Sears […]
In January 2012, Kodak, the company that made casual photography a reality, and a relatively inexpensive one at that, filed for bankruptcy, ending a history of nearly 130 years. While George Eastman’s company brought picture-taking to the masses, it also had a lot of weird ideas and made some odd choices. Eject Disc In 1982, […]
Uncle John knows pretty much everything—and if he doesn’t, he heads his massive research library, or puts one of his many associates on the case. So go ahead: In the comments below, ask Uncle John anything. What does “market price” at a restaurant mean? No price listed Have you ever been to a restaurant—particularly a seafood […]
Just because a writer can craft a novel full of compelling characters, remarkable plots, and universal themes doesn’t mean they can come up with a decent name for the thing…at first. Here are some classic and familiar books that were almost published with a different (and maybe not-so-great) title. 1984 George Orwell’s publisher agreed to […]
January 26 is Australia Day, and so we thought we’d take a look at some inventions that we — and maybe you — didn’t know originated Down Under. Disposable Syringes In the 1940s, drug company A.M. Bickford and Sons identified a problem in the pharmaceutical market: patients who needed to inject medications, such as diabetics, […]
You never know what you might fight out there, underneath the wood pile, next to the herb garden, or below the kids’ old swing-set. BRING OUT YOUR DEAD In 2010, a New Orleans man named Vincent Marcello got to work on digging the big hole necessary to install a swimming pool in his backyard. While […]
Butter is a lightly processed dairy fat, formed into bricks, and shipped into stores. But butter is relatively expensive, leading to the development of butter-like margarine in the 19th century. Like butter, it’s made from fat—generally some kind of vegetable oil. Unlike butter, it requires a pretty lengthy and science-heavy process to make. Starts as […]
Should you ever find yourself in Canada and don’t understand the conversation, here’s a handy guide. (And if none of these come up…well, you just might be in the French-speaking part of Canada.) Keener: A person who tries desperately to please others or who’s just far too enthusiastic. Runners: Running shoes, sneakers. Supply teacher: A […]
Here’s a taste of what life is like on the bottom of the world. Least populated Of the seven continents, Antarctica is the least populated, but the fifth largest. It’s bigger than Australia and all of Europe. Not one landmass Antarctica isn’t one singular landmass. In addition to its mainland, it also encompasses the South […]
If you’re a little tired of eggnog, fruitcake, and those other familiar holiday sweets, try one of these special goodies from distant lands. Sweden: Knäck The name translates to “break,” an apt word to describe this “Christmas Butterscotch,” a toffee- or brittle-esque dessert. It’s made out of slowly cooking heavy cream, sugar, syrup, butter, vanilla, […]
Need a bottle of soy sauce? You could drive five minutes to the nearest grocery store and pick up a bottle for three bucks…or you could make some from scratch with the same method that soy sauce makers in Asia have been using for centuries. (Warning: Choose the latter option, and it’s going to take […]
It’s one of the most famous scenes in one of the most popular holiday movies of all time. In A Christmas Story, the 1983 big-screen retelling of the embellished Midwestern Christmas recollections of humorist Jean Shepherd, a kid named Flick (Scott Schwartz), best friend of main character Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) has no choice but to accept a winter-time, schoolyard “triple dog dare” and places his tongue against a metal pole in the freezing cold.
