Here are some fun facts to help get you through the day and look like the most informed person at the water cooler.
– The first “for dummies” book was “DOS for Dummies” in 1991. Now the series has around 2,500 titles and more than 200 million copies in print.
– “Herpes” is an ancient Greek word that means “creeping.” The disease got the name because the blisters would creep across your skin.
– The founder of Kodak, George Eastman, hated that months had different numbers of days. So, he made the company operate on a 13-month calendar, with 28 days in each, and two left over. He called the 13th month “Sol.”
It sounds crazy, but the company used the 13-month calendar from 1928 to 1989.
– Powdered wigs became popular in the late 1500s because so many men were losing their hair . . . due to syphilis.
– Volkswagen has its own brand of sausage in Germany . . . and they sell more sausages than cars.
(Wikipedia / Bioentymology / Gizmodo / Mental Floss / cnet)
Strange and trending news:
– A new study figured out how much of the stuff you worry about comes true. And the average is . . . 8.6%. In other words, less than one in 10 things you worry about is worth worrying about. (Full Story)
– A new survey asked people which is more stressful: Holiday shopping . . . or back-to-school shopping? And believe it or not, more than one-third of people said it’s back-to-school shopping. (Full Story)
– Only 13% of people say they’ve had a vacation romance that kept going back in real life, according to a new survey . . . the other 87% say the relationship only lasted as long as the vacation. (Full Story)
– A wedding planner just posted a story on Reddit of a wedding disaster . . . because a bride, quote, “gambled on a fart and lost in a big way.” She wound up destroying her $15,000 dress with what came out of her . . . but still went on with the reception with a stained dress. (Full Story)
– There’s a new list out of the bestselling beers in the U.S. with some surprising results. Bud Light did more than double the sales of any other beer . . . Michelob Ultra passed Miller Lite to be the number three beer in America . . . and somehow, Bud Ice came in 16th. (Full Story)
– Is it cool to get a table at a restaurant 15 minutes before it closes? According to a new survey, 60% of people say it’s NOT COOL. 27% of people say it’s fine. (Full Story)
– About one-third of people who’ve posed for photos while they were high regretted it, according to a new survey. 30.5% who called or texted someone regretted it . . . and 21.4% who posted on social media regretted it. (Full Story)
– M&M’s has been running a contest since January where they’ve been selling three international flavors and people can vote: Mexican Jalapeno Peanut, Thai Coconut Peanut, and English Toffee Peanut. Well the votes are in, and your winner is . . . English Toffee Peanut. So that will stay on sale. (Full Story)
You tasted and you voted, now we’re giving you the 2019 Flavor Vote Winner… English Toffee Peanut! pic.twitter.com/DgERTonFwt
— M&M'S (@mmschocolate) August 7, 2019
– A photo is going viral on Reddit right now from a guy who opened the top of the coffee maker in a hotel room . . . and found a thriving, disgusting mold colony. So ALWAYS inspect the hotel room coffee maker before you use it. (Full Story)
– A woman in Washington was fishing last week and posed for a picture with a small octopus on her face. And . . . it bit her and POISONED her. She wound up in the hospital, she’s still in pain, and she says, quote, “This was not a good idea.” (Full Story)
#Washington woman sent to hospital after posing with octopus on face | Read more: https://t.co/RDMEoUmPiZ pic.twitter.com/FbOiYaYlVO
— WFTV Channel 9 (@WFTV) August 7, 2019
– There’s a guy in Tennessee whose real name is Luke Sky Walker. He was in the news last year for stealing road signs, and now he’s in the news again . . . because there’s a warrant out for his arrest for theft. (Full Story)
The real crime here is Mr. & Mrs. Walker saddling this poor guy with that name in the first place. #MisbegottenMoniker #AlsoTooShortForAStormtrooper https://t.co/mj3GknabQQ
— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) December 2, 2018
– A new study found there’s NO connection between drinking coffee at night and having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Nicotine and alcohol can affect your sleep, though. (Full Story)