Judges surely get hangry in the afternoons, like the rest of us. Does that impact their job?

Banana candy, you’ve probably noticed, tastes nothing like banana. That’s intentional.

A collection of never-before-heard Michael Jackson songs were found in a storage unit. That doesn’t mean you’ll ever hear them. 

Sources:
https://www.randomactsofmedicine.com/p/are-hungry-judges-and-tardy-doctors
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140829-the-secrets-of-fake-flavours
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/unreleased-michael-jackson-tapes-found-130500824.html

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Helium, that we use to blow up parade floats and birthday balloons, is a uniquely one-of-a-kind element. That’s not necessarily a good thing.

What if we lived in a world where we wanted for nothing, where our every wish and need was cared for? Scientists ran an experiment and, as always, things did not go as expected. 

Ever tried to sneak a drink into the movies or some candy to a ballgame? There’s always that one guy who takes things too far. 

Sources:
https://www.npr.org/2019/11/01/775554343/the-world-is-constantly-running-out-of-helium-heres-why-it-matters
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-old-experiment-with-mice-led-to-bleak-predictions-for-humanitys-future-180954423/
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/20/americas/smuggler-tarantulas-peru-intl-scli/index.html

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More than three decades ago, the New Yorker Magazine printed a cartoon about the internet that is just as accurate today as it was then, setting records for reprints. It’s still setting records.

It’s after Halloween. What happens to all the pumpkins?

Porta potties - everyone uses them; no one wants to. We’ll tell you more than you ever expected to know, including how often, if ever, they’re cleaned.

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The film Sideways, about male bonding in wine country, was released in 2004. Twenty years later, it’s still has an impact on one industry. 

A scientific experiment taught rats to drive. That’s not even the most amazing part.

In the 1950s, Roger Bannister did what was previously thought impossible - run a mile in under 4 minutes. Why did multiple runners suddenly do the same just days later?

Sources:
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/07/05/535038513/the-sideways-effect-how-a-wine-obsessed-film-reshaped-the-industry
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2024/11/08/driving-rats-anticipation-learning-neuroscience/
https://www.scienceofrunning.com/2017/05/the-roger-bannister-effect-the-myth-of-the-psychological-breakthrough.html?v=47e5dceea252

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Some corporate programs really do work. One has convinced millions of kids to read millions of books for more than 40 years by promising them the perfect incentive - free pizza.


Have you ever set out to buy one thing but ended up with something else? That’s what happened to Cecil Chubb, though his unintended purchase was a little bigger than typical.


If it seems the McDonald’s McFlurry ice cream machine is broken more often than not, you wouldn’t be wrong. America’s court system decided to do something about it. 

Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/31/books/pizza-hut-book-it.html
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/man-buys-stonehenge-his-wife-she-not-pleased-180956719/
https://www.mentalfloss.com/mcdonalds-mcflurry-machines-government-ruling

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You may hear these days of unfair or too close-to-call elections, but this isn’t a recent development. 


It’s not the national anthem, but God Bless the USA sure feels like it could be … until you hear this segment. 


Everyone hates changing their clocks twice per year. More than 80% of Americans say we should stop. Why don’t we?

Sources:
https://www.historytoday.com/archive/feature/presidential-election-1876
https://www.npr.org/2018/09/11/645270955/god-bless-the-u-s-a-a-country-anthem-with-enduring-political-power
https://www.nytimes.com/article/daylight-saving-time-questions.html

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The dark web is a largely unregulated version of the internet where many kinds of questionable things go on. Much like Amazon, the dark web even has its own marketplace. The similarities end there. 


Political campaigns have likely been texting you for months; asking for your money, your time and, of course, your vote. How did they get your number? 


For the last 140 years, Dr. Pepper has been popular, but never been able to crack the top two in soda sales, the domain of Coke and Pepsi, until now. 

Sources:

https://time.com/6994868/political-campaign-texts-what-to-do/
https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-dr-pepper-beat-pepsi-no-2-soft-drink/
https://www.marketingdive.com/news/dr-pepper-passed-pepsi-number-two-football-flavor-marketing/718197/#:~:text=from%20your%20inbox.-,How%20Dr%20Pepper%20passed%20Pepsi%20by%20marketing%20around%20football%2C%20flavor,soft%20drink%20in%20the%20U.S.&text=As%20its%20vintage%20advertising%20maintained%2C%20it's%20Dr%20Pepper%20time

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We wear wedding rings on the left-hand ring finger. Would another finger work?


Magazines are losing subscribers at an alarming rate. You’ll never guess which one is an exception. 


It’s time to get your Halloween costume!  Many come from a pop-up store named “Spirit of Halloween.”  Where do these stores come from and, maybe more importantly, where do they go? (From the archives)

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The first Tuesday in November we head to the polls to vote. Why that day, in that month? Could it ever change?


Pitt bulls are the meanest, nastiest, most dangerous of dogs … aren’t they?


Have you tried to hold in a sneeze? You might want to rethink that.

Sources:
https://www.history.com/news/why-is-election-day-a-tuesday-in-november
https://www.vox.com/videos/367080/how-pit-bulls-got-a-bad-reputation
https://www.health.com/condition/cold/is-it-just-me-holding-in-sneeze-bad#:~:text=It%20might%20be%20bad%20to,brain%20aneurysm%20or%20rib%20fractures

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It’s hard to go on a busy highway without seeing a billboard for an accident lawyer. Is it legal to advertise such a service? Well, it hasn’t always been. 


Gift cards are big business. We are good at buying them but not always so good at using them. 


Chicken tenders are one of the most popular foods in America. One city wants all the credit. 

Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lawyer-commercials-a-billion-dollar-industry/
https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesfinancecouncil/2024/02/09/gift-cards-a-strategy-for-retailers-and-consumers/
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/01/dining/chicken-tenders.html

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