You could watch the big ball drop in Times Square, or you could watch the big ball drop in Times Square on TV, or you could celebrate the New Year the way these people from around the world do. Spain At the stroke of midnight, eat 12 grapes in quick succession. It’s supposed to be […]
So many beloved celebrities left us this year that it really did seem like 2016 had a chip on its shoulder. Here are some words of wisdom from the dearly departed to remind us why they were so beloved. “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.” –Muhammad Ali […]
It was just announced that six new all-time singers, bands, and rappers will join the ranks of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here are a few bizarre facts about each of the inductees. Yes The band is most famous for its progressive rock years with keyboardist Rick Wakeman, but the band bad its […]
We might assume that the common names we have for things are accurate descriptions of them, but that’s not always true. Birthday Party You can only have one birth day—the day you were born. After that, every time you celebrate your birthday you’re really throwing an anniversary party. Killer Whale They’re neither killers nor whales. […]
Fisher, the star of Star Wars and prolific writer, recently passed away at the age of 60. As a playwright, screenwriter, and memoirist, she was outspoken about her years in Hollywood…and often in a brutally funny way. The Star Wars Holiday Special is legendarily bad, but Fisher embraced that fact. The special, cheaply produced and […]
The former Wham! frontman made a complete career 180 when he left the pop group for a solo career that was more soul and R&B than it was teenybopper. Michael died over Christmas at the age of 53. Here’s a look back at some notable songs and moments from his 35-year career. Michael’s first solo […]
Not every kid in the world leaves out milk and cookies for Santa. That makes sense, because that treat is a very American pairing. Also, it’s nice that Santa gets to try a variety of snacks on his big night. Here’s a look at what kids around the world (and their parents) leave out on […]
According to the insurance company Lloyd’s of London, most messages found in bottles are fakes. These, however, are not. Last Words On April 11, 1912, 19-year-old Jeremiah Burke and his cousin Nora Hegarty boarded the RMS Titanic in Ireland. Two of Burke’s sisters had already immigrated to the U.S., and he and Nora were planning […]
Sure, the title tells you to have a “merry little Christmas.” But it’s a complicated message. The actual, original lyrics of the song make the vaguely depressing song undoubtedly one of the darkest tunes ever, not to mention Christmas carol. The song first gained widespread popularity in 1944 with an appearance in the big-screen musical […]
You hear them on the radio, and you sing along, year after year. Now, you can finally know who “Parson Brown” is supposed to be. Who is Parson Brown? (“Winter Wonderland”) If you grew up in a cold area where it snowed a lot in the winter, you probably made a snowman at some point. […]
Each December, the Downtown Athletic Club awards the Heisman Trophy to the year’s top college football player. Many have gone on to huge success in the NFL, such as Cam Newton, Barry Sanders, Bo Jackson, Marcus Allen, and, uh, O.J. Simpson. Some of the other 80-odd guys to win the prize have taken a different […]
Part man, part machine—and all real stories of people with robot parts. Finger Finnish computer programmer Jerry Jalava lost his ring finger in a motorcycle accident. He replaced it with a prosthetic finger of his own design—it’s also a computer flash drive. It looks like a normal finger (a shiny plastic one), but Jalava can […]
Christmas crackers are a classic holiday tradition in the U.K., but in recent years a wide variety of the party favor have begun to show up in American stores. Not familiar? They resembled a piece of wrapped candy, but it’s a paper tube inside of fancy paper. You then pull both ends until it makes […]
Good news for last-minute gift-givers: our eBooks make fantastic last-minute gifts for anyone on your list! Whether you’re shopping for a fan of sports, history, the military, or nature, we’ve got an edition that’s sure to please. More good news: Uncle John’s out-of-print titles have been resurrected as eBooks. It’s the magic of the season! If […]
To Uncle John, the idea of running 26.2 all at once is quite absurd in and of itself. But there are some marathons out there that are truly running away from normal as fast as they can. The Great Wall Marathon Seeing the Great Wall of China is on many people’s “bucket list” of the […]
From Uncle John’s “dustbin of history” files, here’s the story of Garrett Morgan, a man who nearly a century ago invented a lot of stuff that’s still used today. The son of former slaves, Morgan was born in Kentucky but moved to Ohio while a teenager in the 1890s. He found work as a handyman, […]
Every year, the city of Boston gets its official municipal Christmas tree from the Canadian coastal city of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Why? Because Boston helped when Halifax needed it the most. On Dec. 6, 1917, the Mont-Blanc, a cargo ship out of France was heading out from a stop in Halifax en route to Bordeaux, […]
In the days when smoking was a bigger part of American culture, matches were everywhere. Hotels and restaurants gave matchbooks away; people carried them in their pockets and purses. Well, you’ll never believe where the stuff in the match head came from. Blue Genie Ever heard of alchemy? It was a medieval “science” and philosophy, […]
