With New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd's plagiarism scandal making headlines, we figured it was a good time to revisit a few other famous cases of word borrowing. 1. Martin Luther King Jr: I Heard a Dream (Which Subsequently Became My... READ ON
The first wheelchairs didn't just transport the disabled. They were also good for toting dirt, stone and construction supplies around... READ ON
The Dilemma: What Just Happened?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! People You Can Impress: fellow survivors The Quick Trick: If you're standing in an absolute wasteland amid thousands of corpses, it was a nuclear bomb. If you're standing in a normal city street amid a moderate amount of inconvenience, it was a dirty nuclear bomb. The Explanation: Here is the primary difference: Nuclear bombs have, in the past 70 years, killed hundreds of thousands of people. Dirty nuclear bombs have, in all of human... READ ON
Although it's hard to fathom why people bothered to go on living, there was once a time when folks had no choice but to sit up straight in their chairs, fiddle with buttons and zippers, climb stairs, hike to the outhouse, and add numbers with pencil and paper. Below, a paean to the inventions that made it easier to enjoy the simple pleasures of sinful idleness. 1. The... READ ON
Before utensils, everything was finger food. Here's how some of our common eating tools wound up on our placemats.... READ ON
No matter what you think of him, Napoleon certainly did a number on this world. And whether it's as the savior of revolutionary France or the scourge of Western civilization, his name keeps on keeping on. Of course, not everything "Napoléon" adds luster to his legacy. Here are a few examples to prove it. 1. His Son: Napoleon II Sadly, Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte (aka Napoléon II, or, as we like to call him, "the Deuce"), never had a chance to... READ ON
This week, Alaska Senator Ted Stevens was convicted of seven corruption charges, which complicates his bid for reelection next week. But as this list of crooked leaders proves, power and corruption are old friends. 1. Good Ol' Boss... READ ON
The Dilemma: You don't want to look like an idiot on Antiques Roadshow. People You Can Impress: architecture buffs, art collectors, absinthe addicts, and flappers The Quick Trick: It all comes down to "flowery" vs. "streamlined." Art Nouveau is the decorative one. Art Deco is sleeker. The... READ ON
The wreckage of Steve Fossett's plane was located last month, but it's still too early to say with absolute certainty that Fossett's body has been found. (Partial remains are currently undergoing DNA analysis.) Here are five bodies we still haven't stumbled across, even after all these years. 1. Ambrose Bierce... READ ON
Thomas Carlyle once called economics "a dismal science." Indeed, economists tend to be cautious and pedestrian, but can you blame them? After all, in these troubled times, who could sleep easy knowing these scary stories? 1. The Irish Potato... READ ON
5 Questions: Now with "Wings"
How Many Vice Presidents Can You Name in 10 Minutes?
After a 2011 vote, Toyota announced that the official plural of Prius was Prii.
