Lists

Words

9 Extremely Pretentious Latin and Greek Plurals

Here are some uncommon but etymologically sound plurals that you may employ for petty pedantry at your own risk. You are better off using them in the fun way, though they are most likely to be received as confusing.... READ ON

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10 Stop Signs With Song Lyric Graffiti

How many songs can you think of that have the word STOP in them? Apparently graffiti artists have been able to think of quite a few and have used them to alter stop signs all over the country. These are our favorites.... READ ON

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4 Gertrudes Who Changed the World

The name Gertrude sounds hard—and that’s intentional. It comes from the Germanic roots ger (“spear”) and þruþ (“strength”). No wonder ladies with the moniker are brutish, unapologetic enforcers! The next time you’re going into battle, make sure you have one by your side.... READ ON

The Presidents

4 Presidents Who Painted for Fun and Profit

For four presidents in history that we know of, and likely a few more that we don’t, painting has been a comfort both before their executive years and after them. ... READ ON

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The True Stories Behind 11 Famous Sideshow Performers

Although the sideshow has mostly disappeared from the American landscape today, we can still look back on the performers of yesteryear and see how they became the icons of the American circus culture. But the stories of the real-life people behind the legends are sometimes just as interesting as what they could do on stage.... READ ON

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5 Americans Who Defected to North Korea

Some of them were sold on the Communist lifestyle, some were looking for an escape from Western problems, and some were simply misled.... READ ON

History

8 Inventions That Never Needed Updating

Constant improvement is what we do. So how amazing is it that there exist a handful of objects that, though 100 years old or more, are still perfect?... READ ON

Words

10 Words That Will Win You Any Game of Scrabble

Mind your Zs and Qs. And know your anti-inflammatories.... READ ON

Food

8 Things You Might Not Know About Nutella

Around the world, the incidence of Nutella-related crimes is on the rise. What was once merely an addictive snack has now become the center of a global crisis. Here are eight things you may not know about Nutella.... READ ON

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11 Hit Songs Originally Intended for Other Artists

In the music world, songs get passed around like a hot potato. Demo songs are sent to one artist, turned down, and recorded by another. Tracks bend gender rules, with Aerosmith snatching a power ballad from Celine Dion and Chris Brown handing over one of his tunes to Rihanna. Here are just 11 of the many songs that made it big after being turned down by other singers.... READ ON