131

According to John Krasinski on Letterman: A "greyhound" is vodka and grapefruit juice. I don't like grapefruit juice.

But I do like John Krasinski.

Oh snap!

130

Today I learned about this thing called "indigo children." This is a kind of New Age term for children who have certain characteristics (sense of entitlement, trouble with authority, thinking outside the box, stubborn, easily frustrated) and who are also believed to have some supernatural-type abilities (ESP, telepathy, extreme longevity). Coincidentally, a lot of these kids are named things like Dusk and Jade. Actual science really has no interest in all this. That community feels like at best kids with these qualities are just a new generation of kids who are kind of spoiled and poorly brought up, and at worst they are kids with Asperger's, autism, or ADHD who are going undiagnosed/untreated.

People are nuts, if you ask me.

129

Something from the Straight Dope for today. Something I had actually wondered about: why the "U" shaped, open-front seats on toilets in public restrooms? The answer is because people (mostly men, it says, though women always freaking leave drips there too when they get up) drip/splash on the front of the seat there, so the solution is to leave that part of the seat off. Genius, no? Well...no. I mean, it doesn't make that much sense to me. People are still going to drip/splash on the rim of the toilet in that same spot. You still have to look at the drip/splash, and you don't sit on that part of the seat anymore than you sit on the rim of the toilet up there, so...I don't know. I guess they don't have to make sense, I just have to learn 'em.

126, 127, 128

Saturday I learned what makes bratwurst so delicious. There isn't much to Johnsonville brats, they're mostly just pork, corn syrup, and a few seasonings. Mmmm, sugary pork. More please.

Yesterday I looked up the lyrics to "Asleep" by the Smiths because it is in the book that I am reading right now (The Perks of Being a Wallflower). It's about killing yourself, go figure.

Today I looked up "weck," the original third W in "BW3s." I had learned that before but forgotten, so it's okay. Weck is short for "kummelweck" which is a type of roll with caraway seeds and pretzel salt on top; a common food in the Buffalo area is a beef on weck sandwich, which is, uh, pretty much what it sounds like. B-Dubs originally served this sandwich but now they don't. They also do not serve me free wings, even though they should.

125

This is just amazing. I would love to see that in person. I guess all I really learned is the picture and the caption under it but I really do want to go to bed like right now. It looks so cool though.

123, 124

Wednesday I learned about the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. It is a giant suspension bridge that connects Staten Island to Brooklyn. The towers supporting the bridge are an inch and a half farther apart at their tops than at their bottoms; the bridge is so long that the earth's curvature had to be taken into account. The bridge is referenced in the Rhett Miller song "Hover" and also in the book I'm currently reading at work. So that's why I looked it up. (Total side note, but Rhett's real name is Stewart Ransom Miller, and one of my favorite lines from any 97's song is "My name's Stewart Ransom Miller, I'm a serial lady killer." I'm sorry but that would totally work on me.)


For today, randomly (or is it??), etymology of the word "satellite."

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Today I learned that miniature golf ("putt putt") is growing in popularity as a competition sport. There are federations/associations, international tournaments, etc. http://prominigolf.com/

As I've said so many times in this blog: WTF?