We all have our pet peeves. Even the most reasonable person you know is bugged by some little thing. Sometimes the little things that bug us are bugs. For most of us, […]
Fleas Flee the Queen’s Fierce Phobia
An Important Distinction Between Trousers and Drawers
The English language is infinitely flexible, providing multiple synonyms for almost every word. While that is helpful in most situations, it can also contribute to some confusing and embarrassing slips of the […]
Beware the Dangers of Eating Yourself to Death
For those of you who did not exercise a great deal of self control during your Thanksgiving meal and whose mouths may already be watering at the thought of the leftovers in […]
Luxury Potato Chips Priced at $11 Each
When it comes to luxury items, things related to potatoes are no small potatoes. When we reported the $1 million sale of a potato photograph, we thought it was a fluke. Now […]
How Sweden’s King Experimented on Prisoners With Coffee
Coffee seems to have had a love/hate relationship with royalty. For centuries, many people viewed the caffeinated beverage with suspicion. Around the year 1600, many in Roman Catholic circles viewed coffee as […]
What’s the Buzz About the McDonald’s Built for Bees?
Those who follow the news about fast food, architecture, and apiology were all abuzz with a development that was as sweet as honey. Sweden recently opened the doors to the world’s smallest […]
Breaking Out of Jail is Completely Legal in These Countries
Just about every society has imprisonment as a potential punishment for lawbreakers. In at least six countries, you might get sent to jail for breaking the law, but you won’t get in […]
Pierre Brassau: the Chimpanzee Who Made a Monkey Out of Modern Art
When the paintings of Pierre Brassau were released for public viewing in 1964, the artistic community was lavish in its praise. Rolf Anderberg of the Göteborgs-Posten wrote, “Brassau paints with powerful strokes, […]
Just Desserts for Treasonous Tarts
The first case of high treason in modern times came before the Swedish courts in 2001, and four traitors were identified. They were four boys, all aged 16 or 17. Their offense? They […]
Slow and Steady Completes the Race
Shizo Kanakuri, a Japanese marathoner at the 1912 Olympics in Sweden, quit the race part way through and went home without telling race officials. In 1966 he was invited to compete the […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 