The Cinema at the End of the World
Back in the early 2000s, a French man named Dynn Eadel toured parts of Egypt’s immense Sinai Peninsula. He fell in love with the desert’s rugged beauty but felt it was missing something: an outdoor movie theater.
Daily Dispatch
6 Things You Might Not Know About Nirvana
It was 20 years ago this week that frontman Kurt Cobain took his own life. Here are some Nirvana facts you might not have known about the one of the most influential bands of their generation.
You’re Saying It Wrong! Champing vs. Chomping
It’s champing at the bit, not chomping at the bit. This phrase (or idiom) comes from the sport of kings: horse racing. A bit is part of the apparatus that goes in the horse’s mouth and connects to the bridle and reins so the horse can be controlled and directed by the jockey on its back. The bit fits into a toothless ridge of the horse’s mouth, so the horse never really bites the bit.
AUJA – A$tronaut Edition
When NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins landed on the moon in 1969, it was the biggest news story of the year – if not the biggest ever – and the public wanted to know as much as possible about Apollo 11, the moon, and the men who went there. A fun part of that were the nitty-gritty financials: How much did it really cost to go to the moon, and where did the money go?
It Came From ‘Germophobia’: A Plastic Surgery Nightmare
In 2011, a Utah woman named Jennifer Swalberg went in for two fairly routine plastic surgery procedures at the clinic of Dr. Joseph Berg: liposuction and an abdominalplasty (also known as a “tummy tuck”). Most of the details of what allegedly happened next were reported in a lawsuit filing, so, to say the least, things didn’t go well.
Fake-or-Fact Friday: Good News Edition
Two of these news items really happened. One of them only happened…in our minds. Can you tell which is the fake?
The Life of a Blue Man
Since its inception in 1987, the Blue Man Group performance art/music collective has entertained millions with its shows in New York, Las Vegas, cruise ships, and touring throughout the U.S. and Europe. Dozens have (mostly anonymously) put on head-to-toe blue makeup to perform with the group, but how did they get there?
Where Eagles Dare
Breaking into One World Trade Center is a bad idea. Sneaking all the way up to the roof is an even worse idea. Nevertheless, several daredevils recently engaged in both of these activities (and managed to evade the skyscraper’s round-the-clock security team in the process).
March Madness! Final Four Fever!
Some quick facts about the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
- In 1939, Ohio State University basketball coach Harold Olsen came up with the idea of deciding the national champion each season with a 64-team tournament. (However, the term “March Madness” wasn’t coined until 1984, by the marketing team promoting the Final Four host city of Seattle.)
Your April Fool’s Day Large-Scale Prank Roundup
Some people love April Fool’s Day, others hate. Who definitely loves it? Big companies and their ad geniuses. Here’s what they came up with this year.
- Google always creates several gags. This time, they converted their Google Maps interface into a Pokemon-themed map. They further announced that Google Maps was looking to hire a “Pokemon Master” and that potential applicants were instructed to “catch” as many of the video game critters as they could by 2 p.m. on April 1.
TV Characters Reunited, And It Feels So Good
We recently ran a piece about several kinds of shows you just don’t see on TV anymore. The recent release of the Veronica Mars movie—eight years after the TV show was cancelled—reminded us of one we forgot: made-for-TV movies that served as reunions for beloved old TV shows.
It Came From ‘Germophobia’: Chiropractic Catastrophes
We’ve got a brand new book out this week: Uncle John’s Germophobia. It’s all about hospital horrors, bad doctors, botched surgeries, nightmare nurses, weird diseases, and all the things that can and will go wrong when it comes to your health. Here’s a taste of the kind of thing you’ll find inside.
What Are You Going To Do With Your Amazon E-Book Refund?
Last week, Amazon issued millions of dollars in credits to customers who bought e-books between 2010 and 2012. It’s the payout of a class action lawsuit that alleged some publishers overcharged for e-books during that time. What should you get with all that free book money? We have some suggestions.
AUJA – No Purchase Necessary?
What does it mean when a company has a promotional contest, but the fine print says “no purchase necessary”? Can you really still win?
It’s the result of some pretty complicated federal broadcasting laws. For some reason, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has a clause called “the lottery law,” which states that federal lotteries are illegal.
Can You Tell Me How to Get to the Bathroom on ‘Sesame Street’?
Finally, Uncle John can justify his daily viewings of Sesame Street. Introducing Raya, a six-year-old, aqua-colored Muppet who encourages kids to always wash their hands after using a toilet, and to always wear shoes when visiting a public latrine.
Fake-or-Fact Friday: Random News Edition
Two of these news items really happened. One of them only happened…in our minds. Can you tell which is the fake? The answer is below.
Spring Break!
Hey, parents of college students: Your kids are using that tuition money you gave them to take a March trip to Florida. (Hey, college students: Your secret is safe with us!) Here’s a little bit about the history of Spring Break.
Impossible Questions: Weird Science Edition – The Answer
Think you’ve got a legitimate answer to this crazy question? Keep reading to see if you nailed it.
How are music superstars Lenny Kravitz and Bette Midler enemies of science?
Both Midler and Kravitz recorded very popular songs that make casual reference to basic scientific phenomena…and both got their facts completely wrong. Really!
