Impossible Questions: Classic Rock Edition
Think you know the answer to this question? Think you can get it? Good luck…and come back tomorrow to see if you’re right.
Daily Dispatch
The Topography of Tears
Micro-photographer Rose-Lynn Fisher is best known for her book Bee, a compilation of photographs of bees magnified anywhere from 10 times to 500 times. Among the remarkable things Fisher captured: that bees’ eyes are hexagonal, just like a honeycomb.
Fake-or-Fact Friday: Giraffe Laughs Edition
Here are three very strange news reports involving giraffes. Two are real, but one is fake. Can you guess which one we made up? The answer is at the end of the post.
(Almost) One Night Only: Bands That Played Lived Extremely Rarely
In 1966, the Beatles decided to quit touring and playing live in favor of crafting intricate albums in the studio. They’d played hundreds of concerts by then—way more than these other bands that probably won’t be coming to your town anytime soon.
3 Ways to Hack Your Coffee
As the temperatures start dropping and the stresses of the season start to rise, you’re going to need all the energy you can get. When the line at Starbucks is too long and a cup of Folgers just isn’t going to do the trick, keep these handy-dandy coffee hacks at the ready.
The Amazing Tale of the North Pond Hermit
Who was breaking into homes in a small town in northern Maine. Teenagers? Animals?
ROBOTICA Invasion: hitchBOT, the Hitchhiking Robot
We’ve got a new book coming out in September called ROBOTICA: Mechanical Marvels and Mind-Melting Machines of the Past, Present, and Future. Yep—it’s a book all about awesome robots. Here’s a little taste of the strange and wonderful robots you’ll find in that book.
Ask Uncle John Anything: The Greatest Thing Since the Greatest Thing
Before the invention of sliced bread, what did people say was “the best thing ever”? Sliced bread has been around since bread, of course, but pre-sliced bread wasn’t sold commercially in the United States until 1928. What took people so long to figure out how to slice bread?
6 Interesting Emmy Post-Game Stats
Pop culture is like sports for Uncle John, so here are some fun facts and figures from last night’s Emmy Awards.
- There were absolutely no first-time winners in the major Comedy and Drama acting categories. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep), Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Ty Burrell (Modern Family), Allison Janney (Mom), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), and Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad) have all previously won Emmys.
Mmmm….Trivia
Just in case you aren’t getting enough Simpsons via FXX’s two-week-long “Every Simpsons Ever” marathon, here is some Simpsons trivia you might not have known about the longest-running comedy in TV history.
How Tuberculosis Invented the Ice Cream Cone
The other day we told you about the many variations on ice cream. Today, we follow it up with a cringe-worthy ice cream related story.
4 Memorable Cartoon Potties
Even cartoon characters have to use the bathroom every now and then. Of course, when they do, they use really bizarre ones.
Fact-or-Fake Friday: Horrifying Stadium Food
Here are three reports on some strange foods showing up in stadiums across the country. Two of them are real-life, viable alternatives to peanuts and hot dogs. One of them we simply made up. Can you guess which one is the fake? Answer is at the end of the post.
3 Unusual Online Schools
College is a drag, what with the high tuition, lack of a job after graduation, and the roommates who are really into jam bands. Why go through all that when you can go to school over the Internet?
The Hard Luck of an ‘American Idol’ Reject
In 1996, Joanna Pacitti was a 12-year-old girl with a tremendous singing voice and landed the title role in a touring production of Annie. Here is another entry in our series on musicians who just couldn’t get the fair shake they deserved.
A Look Back at Early ‘90s NBA Fight Songs
Here’s a truly forgotten fad: NBA teams would release slickly produced rap songs to gear fans up for the playoffs. The songs would be played everywhere—but only in the team’s home city—on the radio, at the games themselves, and proceeds from sales of the tapes would go to charity. Prepare to get nostalgic…and cringe.
No MOOP…And Other Burning Man Basics
On August 25th, the Burning Man Festival will kick off for the 29th time in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. If you’re not familiar with this annual event, here’s your cheat-sheet.
7 Delicious and Nutritious Cereal Facts To Start Your Day
Uncle John’s Blog is part of a balanced breakfast. Here are some interesting cereal facts about your favorite breakfast food you may not have known.
