How Does Pop Culture Affect The Popularity of Baby Names?

How Does Pop Culture Affect The Popularity of Baby Names?

  How could it be that a name like ‘Jasper’ could go from being the 567th most common name for boys in 2006 to being the 248th most popular name in 2013? For a name to jump over 300 spots in a mere 7 years is suspicious to say the least – that’s a 72%…

The logic behind repealing the Smith-Mundt Act?

The logic behind repealing the Smith-Mundt Act?

  What is the Smith-Mundt Act? Maybe you do not know so here is a general overview: Basically, it refers to The US Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (Public Law 80-402) Although there are many details in this law, in a nut shell it prevented the USA from using the media to spread…

How Do Trick Candles Work?

How Do Trick Candles Work?

  Even the most nuanced and worldly prankster can still appreciate the simple pleasure of watching someone blow out their birthday candle – and then blow it out again – and again – and again, before finally realizing there is some trickery afoot. Of course, the fun wears thin after Grandma Betty’s sixth wheezing attempt,…

Why Do Dogs Love To Smell Each Other’s Butts?

Why Do Dogs Love To Smell Each Other’s Butts?

  Dogs may not have the best eyesight, but with a sense of smell up to 100,000 better than a human’s sense, who needs to see anything? Dogs have such a powerful sense of smell because their olfactory membrane is much larger than ours; the olfactory membrane is located in the snout and can be…

What’s So Special About Truffles?

What’s So Special About Truffles?

How much would you pay for a white truffle weighing in at 4.16 pounds? At least one person is willing to pay $61,250 for what has been called the “World’s Largest” truffle – that was the winning bid at a Sotheby’s auction. Vittorio Giordano, of Urbani Truffles USA, has some insight into why, exactly, truffles…

What Does The Emergency Brake On The Subway Do?

What Does The Emergency Brake On The Subway Do?

  If you’re one of those people for whom a big sign saying “DO NOT PUSH”, pointing to a red button, makes you want to do nothing but push the hell out of that button, you’ve probably been tempted by the enticing allure of big, red emergency brakes. They’re standard on all New York City…

What’s With Huge Clown Shoes?

What’s With Huge Clown Shoes?

  Whether you think they’re a great addition for your child’s birthday party or demons sent from hell to keep you awake at night, clowns have been around for ages and are imminently recognizable, from their red noses to their comically oversized shoes. But where does the tradition of clown-size shoes come from? If you…

Is There Such A Thing As The Second World?

Is There Such A Thing As The Second World?

  Everyone knows that the Third World could use a little help, and that the First World is probably where they should turn for that help, but what about those guys in the middle? Is there such a thing as a Second World? Much to the relief of the anal retentive, the answer to that…

Who invented the Brownie, and when?

Who invented the Brownie, and when?

  One bite of a delicious, warm, gooey, chocolate-y brownie fresh from the oven is enough to send most people to food heaven; but where did brownies come from, and who do we have to thank for one of the most delicious indulgences on the dessert menu? Who invented the Brownie? The answer isn’t a…

Will Adding Salt Actually Speed Up Boiling Time?

Will Adding Salt Actually Speed Up Boiling Time?

  It’s a common belief that adding salt to water will make it boil faster; you might believe it yourself, or if not you definitely know someone who does. It’s one of those age-old adages that gets passed down from generation to generation, eventually becoming a staple of kitchen wisdom that people believe without ever…

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