Most major companies first find success when one big product breaks through with customers. Then they try to expand their horizons (and profits) with “brand extensions.” Successful examples: Coca-Cola’s Diet Coke, or the Disney movie studio launching Disneyland. Unsuccessful examples: keep reading. Colgate The name “Colgate” probably makes most consumers think of toothpaste, which is […]
At the recently held consumer electronics show E3, Microsoft enraged cash-strapped gamers with an announcement that its latest system, the Xbox One X will cost nearly $500. That’s actually par for the course, because video games are two things: fun…and expensive. MAGNAVOX ODY$$EY The first widely available video game system in the U.S. came out […]
We’ve fallen “behind” with our word origins posts lately, so let’s get to the “bottom” of things. Make sure to read to the “end”! Tush Linguists say this one only dates back about 50 years. It’s also a specifically American slang term. It’s an all-American Englishification and shortening of tukhus, or tokhes, which is a […]
Here are some theories on how to be the best at the only game that matters. Psychological Factors Professor Zhijian Wang of Zhejiang University in China led a study that revealed psychological factors in how people play Rock, Paper, Scissors—which a competitor in the know could use to their advantage. The Zhejiang group discovered that […]
Everybody knows Superman can fly faster than a speeding bullet, and that Spider-Man can fling webs and crawl on them. But there are a lot of superheroes in the worlds of comic books and movies—and they can do a lot more than fly and crawl fast. SUPERMAN THE VENTRILOQUIST This particular Man of Steel power […]
It’s long been a custom for celebrities staying at hotels, hospitals, and other places to do so under a fake name. It allows them to maintain a little bit of privacy. The next time you’re at a hotel, see if you spot any of these names on the register. Beyoncé When she recently checked into […]
…and other myths, legends, and rumors you probably believe about video games. Mario from Super Mario Bros. is a plumber. Mario is probably the most famous video game character of all time. Even the casual video game fan—or non-gamer—could identify what Mario does for a living when he isn’t saving the princess or racing go-karts. […]
Here’s the story behind two of the best-known names in America.
It seems like some things are so far in the past, while others just happened a few days ago. Here’s are a few comparisons to show how tricky time can be, even in the world of pop culture. Will Smith After becoming a successful rapper while still a teenager in the ’80s, Will Smith turned […]
Like many Americans, some of Elvis’s favorite toys were his guns. And when he wasn’t shooting, he liked to pretend he was a karate champ. Some details:
Before they provided us with entertainment, these stars did a stint in the armed forces. Drew Carey This should explain why he’s worn a crewcut hairstyle for so many years: comedian and The Price is Right host Drew Carey served in the U.S. Marine Corps for six years in the 1980s. Adam Driver Adam Driver […]
A huge number of famous people died in 2016. Not only were they widely respected, but as these two pages confirm, they were highly quotable.
Movies get their source material from a lot of places. Take this year’s Best Picture nominees, for example. Hacksaw Ridge was based on a true story, Arrival on a true story, and Fences on a play. Even video games, with their fantastical worlds and stories, have inspired a lot of movies. Here are some, however, […]
The first-ever Wonder Woman movie is now in theaters. Here’s a look back at seven decades of the character’s rich history. The character of Wonder Woman, princess of the Amazons, debuted in comics in the 1941. She’s the creation of William Moulton Marston. Marston didn’t have a long background in comics. He was actually an […]
Not-so-funny stories about words and phrases that originated on the funny pages. Goon The word probably derives from gony, a slang term used by English sailors as a blanket term for large, goofy-looking seabirds like the pelican and albatross. It found its way into regular English in the late 19th century to describe individuals who […]
Today is Star Wars Day. Why? Because it’s May the 4th…and May the 4th be with you. Get it? With the original trilogy, three prequels, a new trilogy of sequels, and an increasing number of standalone, offshoot films, the Star Wars movie universe is huge. But the first planned sequel was never produced. Here’s the […]
Video games have been a part of the culture now for more than 30 years. That means they’re old and established enough to have their own spooky myths and horror stories. Berzerk The story: In the 1980 arcade video game Berzerk, players traveled through a maze and had to use a laser to kill […]
Except for Kanye West and Will Smith, most rappers don’t perform under their real names. They use nicknames or handles instead, which reflect their personalities. Here are how some of the biggest MCs of all time came up their stage names. Waka Flocka Flame. As a kid, he used to watch the cartoon Muppet Babies […]
