Commonplace Fun Facts

Colorblindness: What It Is, What It Isn’t, and Why Your Charts Are the Problem

Explore colorblindness: what it is, common myths, causes, everyday challenges, and surprising advantages in this humorous, informative guide.

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April 4, 2026April 4, 2026

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James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher

If you have figured out how to derive the meaning of a sentence containing nothing other than eight uses of the word “buffalo,” then roll up your sleeves and tackle this beauty: “James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher.”
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Welcome to the Land Wanted By No Nation

There’s nothing unique about disputed territory. It is one of the most common causes of war. When two nations cannot agree on who holds the right to possess a piece of real estate, conflict is inevitable. Unless, of course, we’re talking about Bir Tawil. The conflict over the possession of Bir Tawil is similar to…
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Lincoln and the Disputed Legal Bill

During his legal career, Abraham Lincoln represented clients from diverse backgrounds. The wealthiest and most powerful of them was unquestionably the Illinois Central Railroad. Lincoln was sent to the White House in a campaign that identified him as a rail splitter, capitalizing on his powerful upper body strength. It was his success as a defender…
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The 213-Year-Old Paris Law That Made Women’s Pants Illegal

Learn about the Paris law that existed for 213 years, requiring women to receive permission to wear pants.
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Tax Tips for the Law-Abiding Criminal

As the days lengthen, warm weather returns and the sublime signs of Spring show themselves all around us, our thoughts naturally turn to income tax season. If you are in the United States or subject to US law, you know that April 15 is Tax Day. The laborious, joy-sucking, and migraine-inducing annual tradition of compiling…
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When Jackie Gleason Apologized For a Bad Show

Jackie Gleason: Comedian and Apologist Game shows are not at all unique in the history of television. Neither is there any shortage of bad game shows. There is one bad game show, however, that deserves special attention. It is memorable not so much because it was bad but because it was so horrible that its…
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Steve Allen Defines What is Funny

“In general, the straight line of a joke sets up a premise, an expectation. Then the funny ending – the punch line – in a sense contradicts the original assumption by refusing to follow what had seemed a reasonable train of thought. Many jokes involve that simple matter of leaping outside what had appeared to…
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Mark Twain’s Thoughts On Turning Tom Sawyer Into a Play

Mark Twain was at the height of his popularity when he received a request to dramatize Tom Sawyer. The director of a theater company asked the author’s permission to use his name in association with the production. He concluded his letter by offering Twain a free ticket to see the performance.
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The Disaster That Haunted An Unlikely Hero

The weather couldn’t have been better for travel. As Charlie made his way home by train, neither he nor his fellow passengers had any clue that they were headed toward an unspeakable tragedy that would go down in history as the terrible Stapleton rail crash.
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How NOT to Get Around Word Limits

Many of our readers are students, preparing to return to school after Christmas break. They will undoubtedly encounter essay and research paper assignments with strict requirements concerning the number of words. For most students, the word limit is a minimum number that must be achieved. Suppose the assignment is to write a 2,000-word paper about…
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When Comic Books Come to the Courtroom

It goes without saying that legal documents tend to be boring. If they were interesting, people would actually read the fine print before signing contracts and thereby eliminate the need for the legal profession. Any exception to this rule tends to be noteworthy. It is not an exaggeration to say that such a scenario would…
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O Holy Night — Merry Christmas to All

Among the most beloved Christmas carols is “O Holy Night. It was written to commemorate the renovation of the church organ in Roquemaure, France. Town native Placide Cappeau wrote the lyrics in 1843. The music was composed by Adolphe Adam. Opera singer Emily Lauren gave the first public performance in Roquemaure in 1847. John Dwight…
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The Famous Ship That Was Named By Mistake

One of the most magnificent passenger liners of the 20th century was the RMS Queen Mary. Its name became synonymous with luxury travel. Its name was also a mistake.
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The Quest to Add Orbisculate to the Dictionary

What is the difference between a real word and a made-up word? OK, admittedly all words are made-up. We should probably ask what it takes to transform a newly manufactured word into one that shows up in dictionaries. The answer is usage. Once upon a time, someone reacted to some disgusting thing (we suspect it…
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The $2.5 Million Worst Super Bowl Commercial Ever

What is considered to be the worst Super Bowl commercial of all time? Learn about the Census “Snapshot of America” commercial that holds this dubious honor.
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