St. Patrick’s Day has evolved into a celebration of Ireland, the people of Ireland, and the influence of the Emerald Isle on world culture. To that end, here are some indelible contributions to technology and science by those of Irish descent. Chocolate milk It’s strange to think that somebody had to invent the addition of […]
We’re not sure if “weird golf” is a thing, let alone if it “rules,” but here are some strange and odd stipulations golfers must follow when they’re out there on the links. Cactus dangers The golf rule book seems to have every contingency covered, including what to do if a hit ball lands by a cactus. […]
People on opposite teams may fight, but once in a while the spirit of competition gets so intense that people on the same team come to blows. KERR VS. JORDAN Today, Steve Kerr is one of the most successful coaches in the NBA, guiding the Golden State Warriors to three league titles in the last […]
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 […]
Dolly Parton recently signed a deal with Netflix to turn a number of her biggest hits into movies. Her songs are often stories, so it’s a natural progression. The same should have happened for these songs turned movies…which all tuned out a little odd. Monster Mash (1995) The monster-centric novelty song “Monster Mash” was a […]
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 […]
Back in the 1890s or so, the Anderson Valley was an extremely remote, sparsely populated, and very isolated farming community in northern California. The largest town there: Boonville, which lends its name to Boontling, the system of slang / secret language locals developed for gossiping purposes. Today, only about 100 people still speak and understand […]
There are certain phrases and aphorisms we all use that everybody seems to know…and yet, when you think about them even a little bit, you’ll realize that they don’t make a lick of sense. Here are some of those bizarre, everyday sayings…and how they entered the lexicon. CLEAN AS A WHISTLE According to this old […]
In recognition of Black History Month, here are the stories of some notable African-American inventors who changed the world with their ingenuity and technical know-how. Lewis Lattimer Two of the most famous inventors in American history — Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell — didn’t work alone. A Massachusetts-based inventor named Lewis Lattimer worked on […]
Some months have 30 days and others have 31. And then there’s weird old February, packing a scant 28 days (or 29 in a leap year). Why are you so short, February? The Romulus calendar In the eighth century B.C., the Roman Empire operated via the Romulus Calendar, a 10-month system that started in March […]
Wild news from the wild kingdom. GORILLAS IN THE MIDST OF CHEATING The Gorilla Game Lab is a joint project of England’s University of Bristol and the Bristol Zoological Society. Both organizations aim to both develop and study the cognitive abilities of gorillas, and they do it by giving the primates puzzles to solve. One […]
Winning an Academy Award is an achievement some actors and actresses wait their whole lives and careers for. And then there are these performers who were so impressive in their first ever film roles that they took home Oscars for it. LUPITA NYONG’O Born in Mexico to a Kenyan family, Nyong’o built up an impressive […]
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 […]
The Academy Awards are around the corner. Here are some of the weirdest nominations and wins in the ceremony’s long history. THERE’S GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS The Razzies, or “Golden Raspberry Awards” are the anti-Oscar and hand out cheap plastic trophies to the year’s worst movies. While many performers have won both awards for […]
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, […]
In photographs, she presents the grim, humorless visage of a middle-aged, Victorian spinster. But Esther Howland popularized valentine giving in the United States and, by the time of her death in 1904, had earned the sobriquet “Mother of the American Valentine.” (This article was first published in Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Book of Love.) Be […]
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. Why can’t we remember (or even notice) the moment we fall asleep? It happens every single night. One moment, […]
If some old science-fiction movies set in the once distant year of 2019, are to be believed, we’re all in for a terrible time. Hunted for sport Criminals convicted under America’s totalitarian police system are creatively sentenced to star on a reality game show called The Running Man, where they’re hunted for sport by professional […]
