July 1st is the day that Canada’s 10 provinces and three territories celebrate Canada Day, commemorating the day the nation officially formed in 1867. Had history gone a bit differently, there’d be a lot more of Canada to celebrate on Canada Day. Vermont From 1777 to 1791, the state of Vermont was an independent republic, […]
Back in junior high, you probably learned about the pantheon of Ancient Greek gods and goddesses — Zeus, Apollo, Aphrodite, and so forth. Your teachers probably didn’t cover these more obscure — and very specific — grand deities. Wandering planet gods The Greeks believed in “Astra Planeti,” a special class of gods that ruled over […]
Spider-Man is one of comicdom’s most popular, famous, and adaptable superheroes — the eighth big-budget movie about the teen web-slinger made since 2000 hits theaters this summer. Spider-Man: Far from Home features Mysterio, one of the more well-known villains from the comics. These others will probably never make it to the big screen. The Spot […]
The Dick Tracy movie hit theaters last week in 1990, reviving the 1930s comic strip franchise for a new generation. To demonstrate just now “ugly” the crimes committed by the bad guys in this law and order comic strip could be, creator Chester Gould made the villains physically grotesque. P.S. Tone The P.S. stands for […]
The Sound Most of the King’s biographers attribute his singing style to black gospel and country music. But Elvis wanted to reach a wider audience, so he based his early vocal stylings on pop crooner Dean Martin. (For evidence, listen to Elvis’s first recording of “Love Me Tender.”) The Hit Elvis Presley’s biggest hit (and […]
“Big in Japan” is a slightly derisive term in the music business. It refers to American singers and bands that haven’t quite found much success stateside, but who are supposedly “big in Japan.” Sometimes, it’s actually true. Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Cheap Trick didn’t really pop in the U.S. until after Live in […]
If you hit up a Major League Baseball game this year, be thankful if you get a free hat or bobblehead…and that it doesn’t descend into abject chaos. Ten Cent Beer Night It’s remarkable that anyone in the Cleveland Indians organization thought that it would be a good idea to let fans buy as much […]
Sears filed for bankruptcy late in 2018, bringing an eventual end to a retail and catalog juggernaut that lasted for well over a century. Sears had such a huge customer base that it could sell just about anything. Optometry Kits Decades before every mall (often anchored by a Sears) featured a chain optician service, Americans […]
“Dill” you like facts about brined cucumbers? Sweet! HOW OLD IS THAT JAR IN THE FRIDGE? Pickling is one of the earliest methods of food preservation, and one that hasn’t fundamentally changed all that much in the past few thousand years. Historians have found evidence that cucumbers originated in India, and that they were first […]
Have you ever wondered why there are two cities named Kansas City…specifically how the larger one isn’t even in Kansas at all? Kansas City vs. Kansas City There are two places in the Midwest named Kansas City, and they both sit and prosper along the Missouri River…although on opposite sites. There’s the major metropolis of […]
“The Flag” of the United States wasn’t created overnight out of whole cloth (pardon the pun). It evolved over time, involving many different designs and people. • Up until the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and into the early years of the subsequent American Revolution, several flags were in use throughout the […]
A lot of people think of their father as their hero…especially the kids of the dads in these amazing news stories. Hero Dad vs. Speeding Car Early in the evening of November 16, 2018, Michael Devore and his 11-year-old daughter were walking through a crosswalk in Los Angeles. They’d nearly crossed the street when a […]
Lots of musicians have given acting a try, like Cher and Eminem. A few have taken an even larger jump—from singing and writing songs…to directing movies. It hasn’t always gone very well. MADONNA After more than two decades of lacing her songs and videos with provocative themes and adults-only imagery, respectively, Madonna took the reins […]
In the olden days of pro sports, most players used to stick with just one team for their whole careers. Today, though, players are more likely to be “journeymen,” or bounce around their league, playing for multiple teams. Here are the biggest journeymen of all time, or rather the players whose journeys took them to […]
Any halfway decent hotel offers turn-down service or some mints on your pillow. Other hotels go the extra mile or two. Here are some hotels with singular benefits to possibly check our during your summer travels. GONE FISHIN’ Travelers staying at the Happy Guests Lodge, a hotel in Warrington in west-central England, guests can bring […]
What do an obscure ‘90s grunge tune and a repetitive song for toddlers have in common? They were both major pop hits…in 2019. Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Go Back in the Water Most record buyers (and downloaders) are adults, and adults generally don’t listen to children’s music. That’s part of why […]
As one of the world’s most popular musicians right now, everything Drake touches turns to gold. Musically, that is. In the world of sports, an endorsement from the “Started From the Bottom” rapper-singer can seemingly doom an athlete. Anthony Joshua Cursed! On June 1, 2019, boxer Anthony Joshua fought Andy Ruiz, Jr. in a defense […]
2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jackie Robinson, the baseball legend who, in 1947, broke the sport’s color barrier by becoming the first African-American in the major leagues. He’s a brave pioneer for sure, just like these other men and women who integrated their lines of work. NBA The NBA was only […]
