When you look at your paystub and see how much of your earnings ended up being sent to Washington, DC in taxes, you may occasionally wonder how the government uses your money. […]
Can a Dinosaur Outrun a Human? Your Tax Dollars at Work
Melodious Meandering Through Mystifying Musical Muses
If you have difficulty remembering the lyrics to complicated songs, then “Duetto buffo di due gatti” (“Humorous Duet for Two Cats”) is for you. The song consists of just one word — […]
A Word for the Turds Birds
If you want a chance to use a word that will turn some heads, find something that is bird-like in its appearance and observe its turdiform features.Taking its meaning from the bird […]
The Dangers of Long Hair on a Hair-Raising Ride
Roller coasters are supposed to be scary, but they aren’t supposed to actually be dangerous. In August 2003 Doug McKay was working at the Island County Fair at Whidbey Island, Washington. His […]
Cry Havoc and Let Slip the Emus of War
In 1932 the emu population of Australia was getting out of control. With more than 20,000 of the massive birds running loose, they were destroying crops and making a general nuisance of […]
Building an Empire, One Bird-Dropping-Covered Island at a Time
The next time you are tempted to complain about birds using your freshly-washed car as a toilet, consider the important role bird droppings have played in the history of the United States. […]
Land? Who Needs Land?
The swift spends almost all of its life in the air, touching down only to reproduce. They will cling to a wall or rock-face to check a potential nest hole, and they […]
A Bird (Foot) in the Hand
Frederick Locker-Lampson described Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s physique as “peculiar: curls like the pendent ears of a water spaniel, and poor little hands — so thin that when she welcomed you she gave […]
The Bird Man of the Confederacy
Confederate General Richard Ewell believed himself to be a bird, eating grains of wheat and sunflower seeds for meals. There were persistent stories from soldiers on guard duty claiming that the General […]
The Author of Tragedies Was the Victim of One
Aeschylus, the great Athenian author of tragedies, died in 455 BC. He was killed when an eagle mistook his head for a rock and tried to crack a tortoise’s shell by dropping […]
It’s Almost like flying
Penguins can jump as high as six feet in the air.
Imagine The Frequent Flyer Perks!
In a 50-year lifetime, an albatross has flown, at least, 3.7 million miles (6 million kilometers). source
Commonplace Fun Facts 