December 2011
39 posts
23 Bizarre Things Ceremonially Dropped on New...
Image credit: Matt Smith/Express-Times /Landov
For example: A Peep.
The Lessons of Kwanzaa, as Taught by TV
Here are seven television attempts to incorporate Kwanzaa into holiday programming.
The 20 Weirdest News Stories of 2011
Our own Miss Cellania has rounded up the most bizarre news stories of the year.
After OutKast sang “Shake it like a Polaroid picture,” Polaroid released a statement that said, “Shaking or waving can actually damage the image.”
Brenda Lee was only 13 when she recorded "Rockin'...
"Police say 40,000 pounds of ice cream have...
[Source: Associated Press]
The Greatest Gifts in the History of Presents
Stumped for a last-minute gift idea? Perhaps our Historical Gift Guide will help inspire something. (And scroll to the bottom for quite possibly the worst present of all-time.)
The turkey vulture’s primary method of defense is...
Spell Check: Chanukah? Hanukkah?
The short answer is yes.
We’re dealing with a transliteration that – because English and Hebrew don’t share all of the same sounds and none of the same letters – is inexact.
The first Hebrew letter in the holiday’s name has the sound of a guttural “h.” How would you prefer to render that in English – with an “h,” which can lead people to think that the word starts with an English “h”...
Longreads: Mental Floss Editors: Our Top Longreads... →
longreads:
The editors of mental_floss magazine: Mangesh Hattikudur, Ethan Trex, Stephanie Meyers, and Jessanne Collins. They’re also on Twitter and Tumblr.
***
Read their picks for the top longreads of 2011.
Awesomely Bizarre Christmas Cards
Most store-bought Christmas cards feature Santa and his reindeer, Christmas trees, or religious iconography. These people went in another direction.
Why Do People Call It "Xmas"?
Lots of people think the X in Xmas is a secular watering down of the word Christ. You know, “we love to celebrate the holiday but don’t believe in Jesus,” sort of thing. But that’s not the case.
The X actually comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of Χριστός. Now, if that’s all Greek to you, Χριστός, of course, means Christ.
[by David K. Israel]
Vocab Rehab
Kummerspeck (German): Excess weight gained from emotional overeating. Literally, grief bacon.
Read More: 19 Outstanding Words You Should Be Working Into Conversation
11 Memorable Christmas Episodes
(Including the Bewitched with Tabitha in blackface.)
Making Movies With Kim Jong Il
Kim Jong Il has died. Here’s a story about the time he kidnapped a South Korean director to infuse some life into North Korean cinema.
Continue Reading: Kim Jong Il, the Director He Kidnapped, and the Awful Godzilla Film They Made Together
Google "Let It Snow"
(via @Mashable)
The first episode of The Simpsons — "Simpsons...
50 Amazing Pieces of Louis C.K. Fan Art
Lots more here.
[Image credit: Jeff Proctor]
Pokémon Shock
On this date in 1997, 685 kids in Japan were rushed to hospitals after a particularly intense Pokémon episode caused dizziness, vomiting and seizures.
You can order a 6' aluminum Festivus pole online...
From FestivusPoles.com. They promise a very high strength-to-weight ratio.
Why Is The Middle Finger Offensive?
On MSNBC this morning, Chuck Todd was caught on camera flipping the bird. What is it that makes that gesture offensive? Here’s a little background.
Watch 'A Muppet Family Christmas' in its Entirety
A Muppet Family Christmas, the amazing 1987 special featuring Muppets, Fraggles and the Sesame Street gang, is available in full on YouTube. You can watch the whole thing here.
Is It True What They Say About Guys With Big Feet?
A bunch of scientists have looked into this. Here’s what they found.
[Image credit: Flickr user FallenPegasus]
If You Want to Win a Marathon, Here's How to Cheat
For non-runners, 26.2 miles may seem like an unreasonable distance. These 11 runners agreed.
The Stories Behind Classic Album Covers
Here.
Perfect Strangers Fan Art!
Fans of Perfect Strangers are using the web to showcase loving and meticulous sculptures, paintings, and drawings in the likeness of the show’s kooky protagonists, Larry and Balki. These will make you do the Dance of Joy.
Read More: 11 Examples of Perfect Strangers Fan Art
Puzzling E-Books
For example, the Nook version of the coloring book Hours of Coloring Fun.
More: 11 Ironic and Puzzling E-Books
How to Hire ... a Hitman?
11 Fascinating Search Suggestions From Google
The Soviet Union Was Dissolved 20 Years Ago Today
© David Turnley/CORBIS
On December 8, 1991, a group of Soviet leaders gathered in Belarus to declare the end of the Soviet Union. Here’s a by-the-numbers look at the collapse.
Leonard Maltin's complete review of the 1948 film...
“No.”
Who's That Guy on the Heisman Trophy?
© Bettmann/CORBIS
The famous “Heisman pose” is actually based on Ed Smith, a former NYU running back who modeled for the trophy’s sculptor in 1934. Interestingly, Smith went years without knowing that he’d modeled for the famous trophy. His sculptor buddy Frank Eliscu had just needed a football player to model for a project, and Smith volunteered.
Smith figured Eliscu was just doing some...
Functional Homemade TARDISes
Lots more here.
I REGRET NOT LINKING SOONER TO THIS MENTAL FLOSS... →
areasofmyexpertise:
I REGRET NOT LINKING SOONER to this review of THAT IS ALL by Chris Higgins over at Mental Floss.
MENTAL FLOSS is amazing, of course. Much better than poking your brain with a stim-u-dent. And an amazing source of LISTS (non-fictional trivia variety).
BUT MOST OF ALL, I am grateful for such a thoughtful and thorough read of my deranged output.
That is all.
This is...
WatchOver the weekend, The Chris Matthews Show revisited a funny moment in political history. On April 4, 1995, four days after Tommy Boy premiered, Chris Farley crashed a meeting of the House Republican Conference dressed as Newt Gingrich. Here’s the clip from C-SPAN.
TIME's Person of the Year Isn't Always a Person
Here are some of the generic people, groups of people, and things named TIME’s Person of the Year.
The first text message was sent 19 years ago...
The message, received by a Vodafone engineer, was “Merry Christmas.”
Steve Collender / Shutterstock
In the 1980s, Pablo Escobar's Medellin Cartel...
More on the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar here.
The same person who sang "You’re a Mean One, Mr....
His name is Thurl Ravenscroft. He’s grrrreat.