Have you ever wondered how certain sports started? The origins of baseball and basketball are not too difficult to understand. Other sports, such as the goat-dragging, horse-riding event of Buzkashi can leave […]
The Extreme Sport of Ferret-Legging
Why Did Europe Get Bombed With Severed Chicken Heads?
The countries of Europe had been invaded. The attack had come swiftly, and the invaders were winning. These desperate times called for extreme measures if there was going to be any hope […]
Try the Seafood Dish That Is Both Dead and Alive
Physicists are familiar with the concept of Schrödinger’s Cat — a creature that can be described as being simultaneously dead and alive. Most of us can relate to having been served undercooked […]
The First Turkey Pardoned By a President
The U.S. Constitution gives the President virtually unlimited authority to grant pardons to anyone facing federal charges. Except for William Henry Harrison and James Garfield, all of the nation’s chief executives have […]
Happy Thanksgiving!
Skye, the Commonplace Fun Facts Canine Consultant and Top Dog speaks for all of us by expressing thanks for all of the Lord’s blessings this year. We are thankful for each of […]
How Disney Made Us Believe Lemmings Commit Mass Suicide
In this uncertain world, there are at least three things on which all of us can be certain: Disney loves animals, nature documentaries are reliable, and lemmings commit mass suicide by throwing […]
Does Constipation Affect Mating Prospects?
Now that we’ve gotten your attention with that headline, it’s probably a good time to let you know you this article will not help you with your quest to find your soulmate. […]
Why Is Darth Vader on the Washington National Cathedral?
If you want to see the symbolic representation of the battle between good and evil, visit Washington, D.C. No, we’re not talking about the political debates on Capitol Hill. The focus of […]
Perplexing Platypus Promotes Plentiful Pondering
The general scientific consensus was that someone was trying to pull off a hoax. The newly-discovered animal could not possibly be real. It was an admirable effort, to be sure. It appeared […]
Quoth the Parrot, “Pretty Boy… Nevermore… Polly Got a Cracker? Nevermore…”
One of the most famous poems in American literature started as something quite different. The eponymous talking bird who is featured in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” was originally cast as a […]
The Secret Royal Lineage of a Weird, Awkward Boy
At the time of this writing, the world’s attention is on the events surrounding the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the ascendency of King Charles III to the throne. One can’t […]
You Can Identify the Gender of a Turkey by the Shape of Its Poo
The nearer we get to Thanksgiving, the more we see turkeys all around us. No, we’re not referring to all of the politicians who running around, trying to get votes. We refer […]
You Can Reign in Hell (Michigan)
In Paradise Lost, John Milton paints a word picture of Satan being cast into Hell. The fallen angel, in making his choice of eternal rebellion, declares, “Better to reign in hell than […]
Acoustic Kitty: the CIA’s Failed Attempt to Train Cats as Spies
Cats are remarkable creatures. Partnering with some of the greatest minds in the scientific community, cats have authored scientific papers, been converted into a telephone, and transformed into glow-in-the-dark creatures of the […]
The Ghosts That Haunt the White House
They say that the house is haunted. Ridiculous, you say? No educated person believes in ghosts! Before you utterly dismiss the claims, however, you would do well to consider the credentials of […]
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