Why is Amelia Earhart Famous?
The name is familiar, and it looms large in American history books. Here’s specifically what Amelia Earhart did, and why she’s so important and notable.
History
Busting the Myths About Sacagawea
In May 1804— 218 years ago this month — Sacagawea departed with the expedition headed by William Clark and Meriweather Lewis, a great trek to explore the Louisiana Purchase, which would become the western United States. Those are the facts — here are some other well-known things about Sacagawea that just aren’t true, no matter […]
More Than Four Fab Facts About the Fab Four
It’s Beatlemania all over again around here, both in this article filled with little-known facts about the Beatles, and in our publishing sibling Thunder Bay Press’s new book, The Beatles: Illustrated Lyrics,So get back, come together, drag a comb across your head, and get ready to love eight days worth of facts. The Beatles’ “White […]
Imagine Ghosts Are Real
John Lennon was tragically assassinated in 1980. But according to some people, the Beatle never completely left the earthly realm. And your bird can sing In 1995, the three surviving Beatles at the time — George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr — reunited for the first Beatles recording in decades. They added their vocals […]
Death at Disneyland
Disneyland: It’s the happiest place on Earth! Well, not if you die there, it’s not. In 1984, a California woman named Dolly Regena Young boarded the Matterhorn Bobsleds. Sometime during the ride, her seatbelt came undone and she was thrown from the ride and onto the tracks. As she was riding in the back of […]
History’s Greatest Potheads
And now, a sober, haze-free look at some noble and venerable historical figures who (somewhat surprisingly) partook in cannabis, the favorite pastime of Cheech, Chong, Snoop Dogg, and Willie Nelson. Queen Victoria. The monarch who reigned over the British empire from 1837 to 1901 was highly influential on many aspects of British life, from food […]
They Put a Man on the Moon (And His Name Was Neil Armstrong)
Neil Armstrong will never fall out of the history books — in July 1969, the astronaut became the first human being to ever step foot on the moon. Here are some little-known facts about the man and his work, which are also the subjects of a new book from Portable Press. Neil Armstrong got into […]
Fun Facts About the 2021 NBA Playoffs
This year’s NBA Playoffs are a little bit different than usual. Not only did they start a lot later than in years past, owing to delays caused by coronavirus shutdowns, but they’re also full of quirks and monumental firsts. The fifth-seeded Atlanta Hawks upset the Eastern Conference’s #1 team, the Philadelphia 76ers, in the conference […]
Join Gordon “Uncle John” Javna for a Father’s Day Radio Tour!
Based on the author’s love of things weird, bizarre, and strange, Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Greatest Know on Earth is an all-new collection of curiosities and oddities throughout the ages. A nonfiction book with dazzling facts, jaw-dropping blunders, and astounding lists of trivia, this impeccably-researched compendium includes a range of single-page articles to extended page-turners. Tune in […]
Buy Me Some Candy Clouds and Grasshoppers
After a coronavirus-shortened, largely live spectator-free season in 2020, Major League Baseball is back in 2021, and so are the fans. And so is the ballpark food available in the concession stands at the big ballpark and stadiums. But it’s not exactly hot dogs and soda anymore. Lumberjack Slammie (Toronto) This baseball glove-size monster is […]
Back Home Again in Indiana(polis 500)
Today we’re going “indy” with these interesting facts about auto-racing’s annual Memorial Day weekend event, the Indianapolis 500. Perhaps the Indy 500 is so big because it’s contested in a place that is literally huge. You could fit the entirety of Vatican City inside of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway… and Yankee Stadium… and the Rose […]
8 Things You Didn’t Know About Helen Keller
In the early 20th century, Helen Keller was one of the most famous people on the planet. She toured around the world, gave personal experiences, wrote books, and advocated for social change, all despite being without sight or the ability to hear. Here are some little-known facts about Keller. • Helen Keller was not born […]
Baseball Records That Probably Won’t Fall This Year (Or Ever)
A few Major League Baseball season is underway, and all the excitement of the national pastime has returned to stadiums around the country. Something that probably won’t happen between now and the World Series: these records getting broken. Most home runs by a pitcher Since baseball players are highly specialized these days, pitchers aren’t expected […]
Tune in as Authors Lisa Beth and Phoebe Discuss Mom Jokes!
One thing we all learned this past year of quarantine is that we need to laugh. A lot. Comedians Lisa Beth Johnson and Phoebe Bottoms are here to help with a collection of more than 300 snarky, sassy, and witty jokes for mom. A companion to the best-selling Dad Jokes, Mom Jokes is the best […]
Crowning Myth Washington
George Washington looms so large over American history — he helped lead troops to victory in the Revolutionary War, served as the first president, and is regarded as “the father of our country” — that a lot of myths and legends sprung up about him, both in his life and after. Here’s the truth about […]
Odds, Ends, and Interesting Numbers About March Madness
The NCAA basketball tournaments are all about the numbers — Sweet 16s, Elite 8s, Final Fours, “One Shining Moment” and more. Here are some facts and figures regarding March Madness, past and present. UNLIKELY FINAL FOUR TEAMS Lowest seed to make the women’s final four: 9-seeded Arkansas in 1998. Lowest seed to make the men’s […]
Sing, Captain America, Sing!
Each year, Uncle John and his team of devoted trivia hunters track down fascinating facts, little known stories, and forgotten pop culture to fill several hundred pages of reading material. Why? To compile the annual Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader, of course. Here’s the exact type of thing you’ll find — and plenty of — in […]
One-Sport Athletes Who Tried to be Two-Sport Athletes
Sure, Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders both played pro baseball and pro football, and simultaneously at that. But several other professional jocks who had what it took to make it one big league couldn’t quite cut it in another. Michael Jordan, baseball player In October 1993, shortly after winning his third straight NBA title with […]
