Bathroom Readers' Institute's Blog, page 27
February 12, 2019
Esther Howland: Valentine Queen
In photographs, she presents the grim, humorless visage of a middle-aged, Victorian spinster. But Esther Howland popularized valentine giving in the United States and, by the time of her death in 1904, had earned the sobriquet “Mother of the American Valentine.” (This article was first published in Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Book of Love.) Be […]
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February 11, 2019
Ask Uncle John Anything: How Do You Sleep at Night?
Uncle John knows pretty much everything—and if he doesn’t, he heads his massive research library, or puts one of his many associates on the case. So go ahead: In the comments below, ask Uncle John anything. Why can’t we remember (or even notice) the moment we fall asleep? It happens every single night. One moment, […]
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February 8, 2019
Life in the Year 2019 (According to the Movies)
If some old science-fiction movies set in the once distant year of 2019, are to be believed, we’re all in for a terrible time. Hunted for sport Criminals convicted under America’s totalitarian police system are creatively sentenced to star on a reality game show called The Running Man, where they’re hunted for sport by professional […]
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February 6, 2019
‘Star Wars’…The Ballet!
Star Wars is an undeniable part of the collective cultural consciousness. It’s probably shaped fiction and storytelling as much as Shakespeare. And, like Shakespeare, people keep adapting it and presenting it different ways. Here are some of the wildest ways the story of Star Wars has been told. Ballet In 2015, The Star Wars Tribute […]
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Heart Facts That Can’t Be Beat
It’s so close to Valentine’s Day, so we thought we’d talk about the real inspiration behind the symbol of the holiday. Where is it? Put your hand on your heart like you’re saying the Pledge of Allegiance. (We’ll wait.) Did you cross your right hand all the way over to the left side of your […]
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February 5, 2019
The Parrot News Network
Not too many other animals besides humans can talk, which leads to a very special affinity between people and parrots…and all those other clever, crafty, chatty tropical birds. Here are some recent news stories about some parrots that got themselves (and people) into trouble. Parrot Busts Drunk Driver While driving home from a Mexico City […]
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February 4, 2019
Ask Uncle John Anything: To Market, To Market, To Buy a Big Lobster
Uncle John knows pretty much everything—and if he doesn’t, he heads his massive research library, or puts one of his many associates on the case. So go ahead: In the comments below, ask Uncle John anything. What does “market price” at a restaurant mean? No price listed Have you ever been to a restaurant—particularly a seafood […]
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January 31, 2019
It’s Time to Skip the Muppets With Some Muppet Flops Tonight
From The Muppet Movie to The Muppet Show to Sesame Street, everybody loves the Muppets, the brilliant puppet comic creations of Jim Henson and company. But not everything with “Muppets” in its name has been a success. Here are some rare Muppet misses. Little Muppet Monsters (1985) It’s kind of hard to believe, but a spinoff of one of the most popular […]
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January 30, 2019
A Blog About Fog (And Vog)
When it’s not quite clear outside, but there aren’t fluffy, white clouds floating around either, then there’s some kind of presence hanging low in the sky that prevents you from seeing too far away. It’s either fog, mist or haze. Here’s how to tell them apart. What is mist? If there’s precipitation that falls at […]
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January 28, 2019
Where the Wild Things Almost Weren’t
Just because a writer can craft a novel full of compelling characters, remarkable plots, and universal themes doesn’t mean they can come up with a decent name for the thing…at first. Here are some classic and familiar books that were almost published with a different (and maybe not-so-great) title. 1984 George Orwell’s publisher agreed to […]
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