Category Archives: Articles

50% of the Ownership of Domino’s Pizza Was Once Traded for a Used Volkswagen Beetle

Avoid the Noid

Today I found out fifty percent of the ownership of Domino’s Pizza was once traded for a used Volkswagen Beetle. The year was 1961, just a little under one year after brothers Tom and James Monaghan had purchased a pizza restaurant, DomiNick’s, for $500.  After eight months of running the business as a partnership, James Monaghan got the bright idea […]

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Gun “Silencers” Don’t Make Them Anywhere Near Silent

Myth: Gun silencers make guns nearly silent. “Silencers”, also known as “suppressors”, on guns don’t make them anywhere near silent. Silencers primarily only suppress the noise due to the pressure wave from the rapidly expanding propellant gases. This is only a portion of what makes a gunshot loud. The primary other source of noise in a gunshot is the sonic […]

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The Pilgrims Didn’t Wear All Black and White Clothing with Buckled Top Hats

Myth: Pilgrims wore black and white clothing with buckled top hats. The myth that they dressed like this stems from the popular clothing style of the day in England in the late 17th century, which carried over to 18th and 19th century depictions. Artist depictions, at that time, depicted Pilgrims having worn the same style clothing that had become the […]

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John Wilkes Booth’s Brother Saved Abraham Lincoln’s Son’s Life Shortly Before Lincoln Was Assassinated

Robert Lincoln's Mansion, Manchester Vermont

As a general rule, historical anecdotes that seem a little “too perfect,” like “John Wilkes Booth’s brother saved the life of Abraham Lincoln’s son shortly before Lincoln was assassinated,” when researched thoroughly almost never turn out to be true.  This, however, is one of the exceptions to that rule and it was no less than Robert Todd Lincoln himself who, in […]

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Misconceptions Surrounding Carbohydrates

It is a common belief that eating even low amounts of carbohydrates increases body weight, whether the carbs are from sugar, bread, fruits or vegetables. The reason for this misconception may be that eating carbohydrates raises insulin, which then lowers blood sugar. Low sugar increases appetite so a person ends up eating more. Considering this, some people advocate significant reduction […]

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Where the Word “Witch” Came From

Witch On A Pumpkin

For more Halloween related information, be sure and check out: 15 Facts About Halloween [Infographic]. Today I found out where the word “witch” came from. The word “witch” derives from the Old English words “wicca” and “wicce” (masculine and feminine forms, respectively).  This later became “wicche”, in Middle English, which meant the same thing as “wicca” and “wicce”, but didn’t […]

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Viking Warriors Didn’t Wear Horned or Winged Helmets

Myth: Vikings warriors wore horned or winged helmets. To date, there is no evidence that any Viking warrior wore a horned helmet and there is significant evidence that they didn’t wear such impractical headgear. So how did this myth get started? A probable source is found in romanticized versions of the Vikings appearing around the mid17th century to 18th century, […]

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What Causes a Hangover

hangover

Today I found out what causes a hangover. There are several things that contribute to hangovers, but one of the principal factors is simple dehydration.  Alcohol has a dehydrating effect by inhibiting the release of vasopressin, which is an anti-diuretic hormone.  So, in layman’s terms,  the result of alcohol inhibiting the vasopressin is that your body produces a lot more […]

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