This Day In History: October 7, 1914 On Oct. 7, 1914, a wedding took place in Boston, MA that would change the course of American history. The couple would have nine children – philanthropists, congressmen, senators, war heroes, and a United States president. Yet the family they created would endure great sorrow in spite of their exalted status. Rose Elizabeth […]
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John T. asks Why do keyboard keypads number 7,8,9 on down and phone keypads number 1,2,3 on down? It’s not clear why numbering pads designed for calculation have 7-8-9 at the top, although the practice of placing the larger numbers above the smaller can be seen as far back as the late 19th century on early mechanical cash registers, often […]
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This Day In History: October 6, 1927 “Wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain’t heard nothin’ yet!” – Al Jolson in “The Jazz Singer” When the film “The Jazz Singer” was released on October 6, 1927, it was the end of one era and the dawn of another. While not a “talkie” in the true sense, it sounded the […]
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If you’ve ever smoked marijuana, then you’ve probably had some experience watching all three Lord of the Rings movies while eating the most delicious steak you’ve ever had owing to the fact that you decided to cover it in peanut butter and jelly. It is at this point that you might find yourself wondering why marijuana gives you the munchies. […]
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The following is an article from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader BEAN THERE, DONE THAT What exactly is a legume? Most people would probably answer that a legume is a bean. And they’d be right—but that’s just one part of the legume story. To be precise, a legume is a plant in the botanical family Leguminosae (also known as Fabaceae). That […]
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This Day In History: October 5, 1969 Monty Python’s Flying Circus made its television debut on October 5, 1969, at 11 pm, after most Britons had gone to bed. The episode was entitled “Whither Canada?”, yet there wasn’t a single mention of Canada during the entire program. It should have been immediately apparent if you were looking for logic or […]
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Kyle S. asks: Why didn’t Chewie get a medal at the end of the original Star Wars movie? For years fans of the Star Wars franchise have expressed frustration with the fact that Chewbacca didn’t get a medal at the close of Star Wars: A New Hope despite playing a pivotal role in the destruction of the Death Star. Since then, George Lucas constantly […]
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This Day In History: October 2, 1967 Thurgood Marshall was born on July 2, 1908, in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated with honors from Lincoln University and, with his mother, Norma, pawning her engagement and wedding rings to help pay for his entrance fees, went on to finish first in his class at the Howard University School of Law. His first […]
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Adam S. asks: How do the ghosts in Pac Man move? It seems mostly random, but is it really? The ghosts in Pac-Man are among some of the most enduring enemies in video game history, thanks in part to their surprisingly difficult to predict movements which make the game a constant challenge for new and seasoned players alike. However, as […]
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M. Kirkpatrick asks: Why did men used to stick one of their hands in their jackets in old photographs? Conveying calm assurance, the practice of placing one hand inside of a top garment is ancient, dating back to before people even wore jackets, at least as we think of them. In the 6th century B.C., it was considered rude in […]
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Today in History: October 1, 1935 Singer and actress Julie Andrews has been enchanting audiences for over half a century with her charm, elegance, and perfect-pitch voice. There are few artists alive today that can rival her impressive body of work across the stage, screen (both big and small), and as a recording artist. Born on October 1, 1935 at […]
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In this video from MinuteEarth, they look at how fighting wildfires can actually make them much worse in the end, and what methods have proven more effective in the long term at reducing the impact of such fires. If you like TodayIFoundOut, odds are you’ll also greatly enjoy their videos. So go check them out and subscribe to their channel […]
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Alex S. asks: Why doesn’t oil and water mix? Made of different elements, and with distinct structures, densities and even dissimilar polarities, it’s no wonder oil and water don’t get along. They can be forced to cooperate, however, and there are several examples of this that are likely currently sitting in your pantry or refrigerator. But why don’t oil and […]
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This Day In History September 30, 1888 On September 30, 1888, Jack the Ripper emerged once again from the shadows of London’s East End to prey on his favorite target – female prostitutes. He out-did himself this time – two women, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes were brutally attacked and murdered within an hour in what became known as the […]
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This is yet another great article from our friends over at The Medicine Journal For those not familiar, Oil-Pulling is the act of filling your mouth with a tablespoon of food based oil and then you swish it around for 10-20 minutes before spitting it into the trash. While a quick online search will yield countless claims of a number […]
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This Day In History: September 29, 1758 On September 29, 1758, a sickly baby boy was born in Norfolk, England. Short of stature (he was 5’4″) with a slight build, he was frail and frequently ill his entire life. Although he spent a great deal of time at sea, he also suffered from seasickness. This hot mess was legendary English […]
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The following is an article from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader The Abraham Lincoln bloodline shed its last drop in 1985. Or did it? ROOTS A year after Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith’s death in 1985, a 17-year-old boy appeared in court to accept a million-dollar settlement from the Lincoln estate. Beckwith was the last of the 16th president’s three great-grandchildren to […]
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If you happen to think killing two birds with one stone is a bit inefficient, or you have found your way into a zombie apocalypse, you might be interested in a special type of gun known as a “punt gun,” that used to be somewhat common among commercial waterfowl hunters. What’s so special about this gun? It is capable of […]
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