Bad Hair Days
Think you’ve ever had a bad hair day? Just be glad you never had one like these folks.
Weird, Wonderful World
Why Is It So Expensive?
It’s hard to enjoy the finer things in life when the finer things are so expensive. We’ll skip the caviar and stick to our good ol’ beef jerky. Wait, that’s expensive, too?! What’s going on here?
Weird Questions Asked by People on Vacation
Real questions asked by people on vacation.
Weird Beauty Treatments
Beauty is in the eye of the person with the weirdest beauty treatment.
Sneaky Corporations
Powerful corporations often set up fake “institutes” and programs that sound like independent foundations promoting the public good—when in fact they’re just the opposite. Here are four examples.
Why Can't I Remove That Tag?
You can remove that tag on the mattress—it’s okay. Really. Lots of products have tags on them—clothes, sheets, towels, for example. Most people have no problem tearing them off if they feel like it. But then there’s the matter of that tag on the mattress. That little strip of waxy paper could so easily be […]
The Official "Blanks" of States
Each of the 50 states has its own “official state” tree, gemstone, fish, animal, dance…you name it! Here is a look at some of them. State Outdoor Drama of Alabama William Gibson’s The Miracle Worker, about the early life of Alabama native Helen Keller, was produced for the first time in 1962 at Ivy Green […]
Who were Harley & Davidson
Here’s the story behind two of the best-known names in America.
Death Customs
The treatment and disposal of a dead body is a sacred ritual in every culture, but each one does it a little bit differently.
Snack Chip Origins
Stuff your brain with some stories about these snacks that are great for stuffing in your face.
About Antarctica
Cold, hard facts about the cold, hard continent.
True Tales of Rejection and Redemption
What comes before success? Preparation, practice…and rejection. Here are some people who went on to do big things despite some early roadblocks.
Famous Dropouts
Quitters never win…or do they?
When Magazines Go Bust
We’ve been making Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader for 30 years now, and to think, before we came along, people had to read magazines in the bathroom. Magazines?! They’re so unreliable! They can just up and fold at any time—like these ones did. Dynamite Scholastic publishes children’s books—including Harry Potter in the U.S. But before that, […]
The Barney Story
Some dinosaurs are extinct…and others we only wish were extinct—like Barney. You have to wonder why anyone thought the Barney blitz would succeed…and then you have to wonder why it did. Here’s one version, written by Jack Mingo, the author of How the Cadillac Got Its Fins.
Who Was O’Hare, And Why Did They Have Such a Huge Airport?
Most airport names are self-explanatory: Denver International Airport, or Los Angeles International Airport, for example. But what about all those major airports that have been named after major figures? Ever been to one and wondered about the person they’re named after, and you didn’t know because you weren’t from that area? Here are those stories. […]
Lottery Row
Want to win the lottery? Some words of caution: It ain’t always a “win.”
Why Are Doughnut Boxes Pink?
Is there a more beautiful sight in the world then to walk into the breakroom at work and find a big pink box of doughnuts? Just sitting there, waiting, full of delicious doughy treats covered in icing, glazes, nuts, and, if you’re really lucky, sprinkles. But while it’s no mystery why doughnuts are so delicious […]
