Head Scratchers & Good Stuff to Know

In the 18th and 19th centuries, epidemics like tuberculosis and rabies swept across populations almost unchecked. Since disease and its causes were poorly understood, contemporary medicine offered little help. Rabies tended to cause hypersexual issues and tuberculosis drained the life force in those... Sign in to see full entry.

Being the wife and daughter of veteran jet mechanics, I find this military achievement to be absolutely over the top. The first female jet pilot, Captain Rosemary Mariner was a pioneer female naval aviator who flew the A-4C and the A-7E Corsair II. Rosemary earned her wings in 1974. When Mariner... Sign in to see full entry.

Some things are not to be shared with the world, and your third face is one of them. The "Three Faces" Japanese proverb regards a person’s identity and it goes like this...humans have three faces, which means that the first face is the one that you show to strangers that you come across. The second... Sign in to see full entry.

Quite the prolific letter writer, in her own written words, spelling errors and all, on February 15, 1798, First Lady Abigail Adams wrote to her sister, outraged. “They are about to celebrate, not the Birth day of the first Majestrate of the union as such, but of General Washingtons Birth day!” Even... Sign in to see full entry.

I don't know of anyone who would pass up a treat that promises a prize in every box, and one of my childhood favorites was Cracker Jack's, which started its "prize in every box" promotion on Feb. 19, 1912. Just two years later when WWI broke out in 1914, Cracker Jack included as prizes a pair of... Sign in to see full entry.

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The gesture of raising one's hand has religious significance dating back centuries. Using the right hand to indicate friendship, demonstrate trust, and settle a dispute similarly traces to the ancient world. When it comes to oath-swearing and raising a hand in court, the specifics may be Roman in... Sign in to see full entry.

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Gangster Al and his brother Ralph lobbied the Chicago City Council to pass a law requiring all milk bottles to come with an expiration date. They did so after a relative became ill drinking spoiled milk. Al also invested in Meadowmoor Dairies to make a little money off the milk racket. The company... Sign in to see full entry.

Not very appetizing when you think about the process of how it's made; regardless, cheese is loved by millions of people worldwide with cheddar still holding the #1 spot. In order to make cheese, you need a substance called rennet which is an enzyme taken from the stomachs of calves, lambs, goats,... Sign in to see full entry.