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 […]
Perplexing Platypus Promotes Plentiful Pondering
World’s Happiest Animal, the Quokka Gives and Inspires Smiles
Hopefully, you know someone who makes you feel good, even on your worst days. Certain people are a perpetual fountain of optimism and cheer. Just looking at such a person lifts your […]
A Look at the Secret U.S. Plans to Invade Canada and Fight the U.K.
Admittedly, the United States isn’t exactly on the BFF list for too many countries. Being the leader of the Free World may garner a certain measure of respect but not necessarily a […]
That Time the President Gave the Pope a Strange Christmas Present
It is hard enough coming up with just the right Christmas gift when you have a year to plan for it. What do you do when you need to choose an appropriate […]
Flush Your Finances Away With the Most Expensive Toilet Paper in the World
Among the many distressing aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic was a terrifying few weeks when civilization faced a global toilet paper shortage. Although not the first such scare, it was, for many, […]
Australia’s Name-Changing Tallest Mountain
If you stand on the summit of Mount Kosciusko, you have made it to the peak of Australia’s highest mountain. You share that achievement Pawel Edmund Strzelecki, the first Westerner to reach […]
Why Was 2011 the Shortest Year for Samoa?
The year 2011 will be remembered by most of the world for its political and geological upheaval. Osama bin Laden and Muammar Gaddafi were killed, the Arab Spring saw protests in Libya, […]
The World’s Luckiest Man Died, Was Revived, and Won the Lottery — Twice
A story about the world’s luckiest man doesn’t seem like it would start with a fatal heart attack. For Bill Morgan, that’s exactly what started an extraordinary streak of good fortune.
Cotton Candy Was Invented by a Dentist
The next time you grab a handful of cotton candy and subject your teeth to an onslaught of almost 100% sugar, you can thank a couple of dentists for inventing it.
How a Bad Musical (Plus a Whole Bunch of Really Bad Ideas) Bankrupted the World’s Wealthiest Country
Whenever the elements of government corruption, shady characters, monumental stupidity, mind-numbing monetary mismanagement, and poop all come together, it’s a safe bet that it is a story that will make it into […]
How About An Election Where You Can Vote for “None of the Above”?
In the 2007 Australian federal election, Geoff Richardson changed his full name to “Of The Above None,” running for the seat of Gilmore. His name thus appeared on the ballot as “NONE, […]
The Tantalizing Tale of Tarzan’s Trademarked Tones
If you are ever lost in the jungle and you are about to give up hope, there is one sound that will instantly let you know that help is on the way. […]
It Pays to Proofread
When it comes to proofreading, who’s whose responsibilty responsibility is it to check for mispellings misspellings? Whoever has that task at the Reserve Bank of Australia, it would probably be a good […]
Rabbits: The Terror of Australia
Rabbits are so cute and cuddly that it is hard to imagine the word “terror” being associated with them. (NOTE: This would be news to Napoleon and Jimmy Carter, each of whom […]
The 1956 Olympic Torch Hoax
The Olympic torch is one of the most recognizable and time-honored symbols in the world. Whenever it appears in a city, it is a time of rejoicing as we honor the international […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 