While the history of the Summer Games is littered with stories of athletes who took performance-enhancing substances and got caught, these are about people who cheated at the Olympics in bizarre ways…and still got caught. Double Trouble Track and field star Madeline de Jesus represented Puerto Rico in the 1984 Summer Olympics. She was scheduled […]
Writers will do anything to get out of writing (trust us, this is hard work). Some avoid a blank page or fend off writer’s block by going to the trouble of inventing something. Lewis Carroll’s Nyctograph Today, writers struck by late-night inspiration in bed can simply reach for their smartphone, and open up a note-taking […]
What did children do before there were TVs and computers? These old children’s games are taken from the 1920s book Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium, by Jessie H. Bancroft.
If you think the 2016 presidential election has been a weird and combative one…well, time will tell if it’s as strange as these past ones. John Adams vs. Thomas Jefferson In 1800, President John Adams ran for a second term against fellow Founding Father Thomas Jefferson…who was also the vice president serving under Adams at […]
A concert isn’t complete without a stop at the “merch table” to prove how big of a fan you are by purchasing a T-shirt or a bumper sticker…or one of these even weirder things that have actually been offered for sale. After leaving the dark punk band the Misfits, singer Glenn Danzig started a heavy […]
Why is baseball our favorite sport? Because it’s full of oddball stuff like this. Foul Play September 19, 1940: Luke Appling of the White Sox was batting against Red Ruffing of the Yankees with two men on base. Appling fouled off the first pitch. Then he fouled off the second, third, and fourth pitches before […]
It looks like the Bathroom Readers’ Institute may have a new headquarters building to consider: a facility at a Chinese university that looks just like a really big john. There’s a gigantic, shimmering new building on campus at the North China University of Water Conservancy and Electric Power in the city of Zhengzhou in Henan […]
They may be gone, but they’re not forgotten. Come to think of it, are they really even gone? Ghost lovers claim that many of the famous dead are still among us…in spirit. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (1706–90) Franklin helped establish the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia in the 1740s. His papers are housed there along with, according […]
Hundreds of the best athletes in the world have convened in Rio for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Here are some of the most interesting ones. Etimoni Timuani is a 100-meter runner from Tuvalu (as well as a former professional soccer player) is the Olympic delegation from Tuvalu—he’s the only representative of the tiny Island nation. […]
If you’ve got a minute, that is. (Whatever that even means. These facts kind of blew our minds.) According to Einstein’s theory of relativity, time moves slower the closer an object is to the center of the earth. For example, a year at the top of Mt. Everest, one of the tallest peak’s on Earth’s […]
You probably had to learn the names of all 50 states back in elementary school. Here’s a look into an alternate universe, where you would’ve had to memorize totally different state names. Here’s a look at some rejected options. Deseret After a plan to have a much larger state comprising parts of present-day Nevada, Arizona, […]
It was traditional for ancient Greek Olympic athletes to compete naked. Women weren’t invited as competitors or spectators. An Olympic torch weighs 3 1/2 pounds, a little more than four cans of beer. It’s made of wood, aluminum, and gold-plated brass, with a tank hidden in the base that holds 40 minutes’ worth of propane. […]
Here are some stories about some truly unique wines. We hope you think they’re really grape.
It’s hard to imagine that anyone could possibly believe these old superstitions, but then some people actually doubt the existence of the Great Flooplenocker, so go figure. A newborn’s first sneeze is lucky. Before the sneeze, the baby is under the influence of bad fairies, and the newborn who does not sneeze may become a […]
In one of the most memorable moments of the 1992 presidential campaign, Arkansas governor Bill Clinton appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show and played Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel” on the saxophone, along with the show’s house band. Here’s a look at some other presidents (and presidential candidates) who showed off their musical talents. Harry Truman […]
Every two years, we’re treated to another round of Olympics. Whether you watch them or not, it’s impossible to avoid all the hype—which, it turns out, isn’t all true. Next time someone refers to “Olympic tradition,” read them this.
Myth: August is the only month without any major holidays in it. Truth: August has plenty of holidays in it…although none we’d call “major.” Here are a bunch of silly observances to look forward to in the comic weeks. August 2: National Ice Cream Sandwich Day Summer has been going on so long that for […]
There are dozens of Olympic events, but there’s only so much time and space. Here are some sports that were once, but are no longer, part of the Olympic games. Skijoring What is skijoring, exactly? It’s a combination of equestrian, dog sledding, and skiing. Human athletes strap on skis, and let horses pull them through […]
