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Why are Potatoes Called “Spuds”?
Chelsea asks: Why are potatoes called “spuds”? Among other definitions, a “spud” is a “sharp, narrow spade” used to dig up large rooted plants. Around the mid-19th century (first documented reference in 1845 in
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Country Music was Originally Called “Hillbilly Music”
Country music was originally called “hillbilly music”. In the 1940s, Ernest Tubb helped re-brand this type of music “country music”. In an interview about this, Tubb stated, “Hillbilly, that’s what the press used to
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How to Stop Windows Update from Automatically Restarting Your Computer
You should know how to prevent Windows Update from automatically restarting your computer. There are few more annoying default settings than Windows’ developers choosing to have the default on Windows Update be to automatically
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George Washington was Taphephobic (A Person Terrified of Accidentally Being Buried Alive)
The first president of the United States, George Washington, upon his death bed told his attendants “I am just going. Have me decently buried and do not let my body be put into the
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The Actor Who Played the Ewok Wicket in Return of the Jedi also Played Yoda in The Phantom Menace
In The Phantom Menace, in scenes where Yoda was walking around, Warwick Davis played Yoda, obviously in a Yoda suit. Davis also played the Ewok, Wicket, in Return of the Jedi and of course
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Each Second About Four Million Metric Tons of Matter is Converted to Energy Within the Sun’s Core
Each second about four million metric tons of matter is converted to energy within the Sun’s core. This gives the Sun a lifetime as a main sequence star of about 10 billion years with
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Popping Popcorn Completes its Expansion in About 1/50th of a Second
A typical kernel of popcorn once it pops will complete the popping/expanding process in under 1/50th of a second. Why Popcorn Pops
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Dolphins Teach Their Young to Use Tools
Dolphins have been observed to teach their young to use tools. They also have a complex communication system and have been observed to display a variety of cultural characteristics such as holding a type
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Miss Piggy’s Full Name is “Pigathia Lee”
Miss Piggy’s full name is “Pigathia Lee”, as revealed on episode 106 and 116 of The Muppet Show. ‘Pigathia’ is derived from ‘Piganthius’, which is Greek for “river of passion”. Reference
Read More »The Difference Between an Acronym and an Initialism
You should know the difference between an acronym and an initialism. Both acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations, but there is a key difference between the two, at least at present. Due to rampant misuse
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