Every state has a motto, a nickname, and even a traditional dish. But many states also have a few more “official” items. The official neckware of Arizona is the bolo tie. The official possum of Georgia is Pogo, the possum from Walt Kelly’s long-running comic strip of the same name. The official state beverage of […]
History that’s good enough to eat (or drink). Latte If you ordered a caffe latte in Italy, you’d get a cup of coffee with some milk in it. (In Italian, it literally means “coffee with milk.”) You wouldn’t get espresso combined with steamed milk. That’s an American latte, a variation on cappuccino that was created […]
Lots of states have placed their capital city in their largest metropolitan area (Denver, Colorado) or in a place of strategic importance (Juneau, Alaska, is closest to the U.S. mainland). Others are a little more mystifying. Here’s why a lot of the less logically-placed state capitals are where they are. Sacramento Sacramento is one of […]
Since 1986 there have been 11 helicopter-assisted jailbreaks from French prisons. Three of them involved the same man. Background Pascal Payet, a.k.a. “Kalashnikov Pat,” is one of France’s most notorious criminals. In 1997 he was arrested for armed robbery and murder after an attack on an armored truck, during which he shot a guard 14 […]
It’s arguably the world’s top prize for writers. But for every Nobel Prize for Literature that understandably went to a luminary like Toni Morrison or Samuel Beckett, the award has a few head-scratchers in its history. The 2016 recipient, iconic folk-rocker Bob Dylan came as a surprise to many—in part because he’s the first musician […]
After more than a century of being “cursed,” the Chicago Cubs won the World Series over Cleveland. Who could have ever seen in coming? Only a few people. Parks and Recreation In 2014, the long-running NBC sitcom “flashed forward” to the year 2017. In one episode, Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) goes to Chicago to try […]
Language changes over time, as old words morph into new ones. But where do they all come from? Here are some more interesting origins. Leprechaun Meaning: A small, mischievous sprite who can reveal hidden treasure to those who catch him Origin: “The leprechauns are a race of Irish elves, usually portrayed as cobblers. One theory […]
It’s November and the holidays are among us. But with Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Hanukah, and more arriving faster than we ever expect, there are some more observations and celebrations that are also fighting for your attention. November 2: Plan Your Epitaph Day Plan Your Epitaph Day was the creation of Lance Hardie, author of […]
He’s one of the greatest action stars of all time. And what’s most amazing is that he does his own stunts. So how does he do all that fighting and perform all those daredevil feats without getting injured? He doesn’t—he’s been injured dozens of times. Here’s a sample of what you (almost) never see. Body […]
And here’s one more: Those four presidential heads carved into a mountain in South Dakota are not naturally occurring. It could have been carved into a different formation It was the idea of South Dakota state historian Doane Robinson to carve faces of iconic historical figures into the side of a mountain in the Black […]
Why did a major city change its name? Because the government said so. Why did it change it back? Because the city asked nicely. For 20 years. See if you can figure out this riddle: The Pittsburgh Pirates are one of the oldest teams in Major League Baseball, joining the National League in 1887. The […]
For some reason even the most mundane objects can become valuable if a celebrity owned—or even just touched—them. This article was first published in our 29th annual edition, Uncle John’s Uncanny Bathroom Reader. Scarlett Johansson Scarlett Johansson appeared on The Tonight Show in 2008 while sick with a cold. After the show, she was persuaded […]
“The Curse” has been broken! The Chicago Cubs are in the World Series for the first time since 1945. Here’s a comparison between now and then. Embed from Getty Images Today there are 30 team in all of Major League Baseball. In 1945, there were only 16. As far as the other major team sports […]
The EGOT is the “grand slam” of American entertainment awards. It’s an acronym and unofficial designation to describe someone who has won a competitive (meaning non-honorary) Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. Only 12 people have completed the EGOT: composers Richard Rodgers, Marvin Hamlisch, Jonathan Tunick, and Robert Lopez; actresses Helen Hayes, Rita Moreno, […]
You could use your wealth to buy cars, houses, yachts…or action figures. This article was first published in our 29th annual edition, Uncle John’s Uncanny Bathroom Reader. Rick Springfield Rick Springfield, who performed the 1980s hit “Jessie’s Girl”, has one of the largest and most complete collections of Star Wars toys in the world. Demi […]
It’s a simple dessert…with a complicated story. Chess pie is a classic, old-fashioned Southern dessert. It’s sort of like a cheesecake, in that it’s refrigerator-hardened and sweetened custard set inside of a pie crust. The first printed recipe dates back to the mid-1700s in a cookbook called Martha Washington’s Booke of Cookery. The recipe has […]
Twice a year, the English monarch bestows “honours” upon notable Britons who have made major contributions to the world, including scientists, entertainers, and politicians. But not everybody who is named “Sir” or “Dame” or an “Officer of the British Empire” wants to be one. Here are a few who told the Crown, “Thanks, but no […]
Bad news: Your horoscope has been wrong this entire time. By which we mean it’s been wrong forever. (If you believe in that kind of stuff, we mean.) Those “Star Signs” are based on real collections of stars in the night sky, and NASA just made a big discovery about them. According to recent research […]
