What do you mean, George Washington wasn’t our first president?

Though George Washington was the first President of the United States, he technically wasn’t the first person in the federal government with the title of “president.” Washington was elected under the government formed by the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1788. But in 1781, the Articles of Confederation — the United States’ first constitution […]

What little critters are elephants afraid of?

You’ve probably heard that elephants are scared of mice. Not really. However, they are afraid of bees. If they disturb a hive, the bees come out and attack them, stinging their eyes, behind their ears, and in their trunks. Elephants even have a sound that they make, a bee rumble, when they hear bees. A […]

Is Laughter Really Contagious?

We are designed to pick up other people’s emotions, and all emotions are contagious, and that includes laughter. Laughter is part of our evolution, and it’s something we share with other mammals. It’s well established that apes laugh in a remarkably human-like way. Laughter produces endorphins that help us de-stress, which is why humor helps […]

Do you like wearing royal clothes?

The origin of the word corduroy is fuzzy. Originally made of silk and worn by royal servants, modern corduroy was a product of the industrial revolution in the 1700s. A clever marketing ploy said it was corde du roi, “ropes of the king.” But it was really from cord duroy, rope with a heavy woolen […]

Where was the first 360-degree rotating dining space?

Seattle’s Space Needle? Nah. Let’s go back to 1st century Rome. Nero’s Golden Palace contained a 52-foot circular dining hall that rested on a 13-foot pillar with four spherical mechanisms. It rotated day and night to imitate the motion of the celestial bodies around the Earth and, of course, to impress his guests. The rotation […]

When was Santa Claus stolen?

The Bishop of Myra, aka Santa Claus, was born into a rich family in Turkey in 270 C.E. and delighted in giving gifts. After his death, sailors spread his story and he gained sainthood as Saint Nicholas. His bones began to secrete a liquid called manna or myrrh, which was said to possess potent healing […]

What was on Dr Seuss’ license plate?

Theodore Geisel, aka Dr Suess, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, but settled in California, the land of vanity license plates. He wanted a specific one, but it was unavailable. An ardent Seuss-lover with four children had already put GRINCH on the license plates and both sides of his RV. When that family moved to Iowa […]

What popular toy was banned from the Pentagon?

A unique toy was introduced in 1998, selling nearly 2 million in that first year. The fuzzy toy creature was called Furby, and it had the ability to “converse” with its owner. The NSA freaked out, and afraid that the toy might record classified information, Furby was banned from the Pentagon in 1999. In actuality, […]

What is the state dog of Pennsylvania?

In 1965, the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania officially designated the Great Dane as the state dog of Pennsylvania. In one of their “whereas” clauses, they noted that the outline of the Great Dane’s head resembles the outline of the Commonwealth’s boundaries. Uh huh. They’re also nice, big, friendly beasties. Carson won the […]