May 2012
54 posts
Quiz: Tip for Managing Millennials or Advice for...
There have been countless articles about how to manage “Millennials.” Sometimes it sounds like these eager, technology-loving employees are from another planet. Or puppies! Can you tell whether the tip is for dealing with a younger worker or raising a young dog?
Take the Quiz: Tip for Managing Millennials or Advice for Puppy Owners?
31 Acronyms and Initials All Spelled Out
For the past few weeks, every time I saw an acronym or initials, I took a picture. You know the brands, authors, and pieces of legislation, but do you know what all those letters stand for?
Arlington National Cemetery Was Built on Robert E....
UPI/Kevin Dietsch/LANDOV
Brig. Gen. Montgomery C. Meigs wanted to make sure the place was uninhabitable if the Lees ever tried to return. He ordered the graves placed as close to the mansion as possible.
More: The Scandalous History of Arlington National Cemetery
10 Things to Remember About Memorial Day
© Jeff Spielman/Corbis
In 2000, Congress established a National Moment of Remembrance, which asks Americans to pause for one minute at 3pm in an act of national unity. The time was chosen because 3pm is “the time when most Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday.”
Here’s a handy 10-pack of facts to give the holiday some perspective.
In 1992 Nickelodeon buried a time capsule that...
Joey Lawrence tossed in a hat that said “Whoa!” on it.
Thankfully this is all on YouTube.
30 Famous People With Law Degrees
Law degree image via Shutterstock
Second-guessing your career choice? You’re not alone. These people ditched their law degrees in favor of other pursuits — quite successful ones at that.
Neil Gaiman’s Commencement Speech on Creative...
“Nothing I did, where the only reason for doing it was the money, was ever worth it except as bitter experience. Usually I didn’t end up getting the money either. The things I did because I was excited and wanted to see them exist in reality have never let me down, and I’ve never regretted the time I’ve spent on any of them. The problems of failure are hard; the problems of success can be harder,...
Tomorrow is Geek Pride Day. There are prizes...
To celebrate, go try to win stuff.
Why Do Beans Make You Fart?
Baked beans image via Shutterstock
Matt Soniak explains why beans are the musical fruit.
Why Are Some Potato Chips Green?
Short answer: Chlorophyll.
Longer answer here.
Why Don't Woodpeckers Get Brain Damage?
Woodpecker image via Shutterstock
If you or I bump our heads hard enough on a hunk of wood, it might smart for a while. But to get through an average day, a woodpecker might ram its head into a tree trunk at a speed of 6 or 7 meters per second some 12,000 times without seeming the least bit bothered by it. What is going on here?
What Causes Eye Floaters?
Eye image via Shutterstock
A look at those tiny, oddly shaped objects that sometimes appear in your vision.
New Bacteria Could Make You Poop Rainbows
In 2009, students at Cambridge University genetically engineered E. coli bacteria, adding DNA sequences in order to create colors visible to the naked eye (standard E. coli does not have a pigment). The students called this new strain E. chromi, and it has limited uses today, primarily related to detecting pollution or other chemicals — if the bacteria detects a chemical, it changes color.
...
What Exactly Is Quicksand?
Clear your schedules! Today we’ll be answering 20 big questions just like this one on mentalfloss.com.
Twenty years ago today, The Real World made its...
Twenty years ago tomorrow, Johnny Carson ended his Tonight Show run.
Today Mr. T Turns 60
Happy birthday, Laurence Tureaud!
Here he is playing the White House Santa in 1983.
Why Do Paper Cuts Hurt So Much?
Paper cut image via Shutterstock
Matt Soniak answers another one of life’s big questions.
Cakes Based on Kids’ Books and Characters
See More: 11 Cakes Based on Kids’ Books, Movies and TV Shows
Beyond Battleship: 3 More Board Game Movies in the...
“It’s like Lord of The Rings, but set in a world of candy.”
When Facebook introduced the News Feed in 2006,...
© Rick Friedman/Corbis, 2004
There were protests and petitions (on Facebook). TIME called it “Gen Y’s first official revolution.”
