One of the most popular Hanukkah traditions these days is latkes, though this delicious part of the Festival of Lights has definitely seen a few changes over the years. Plus: this afternoon in Marengo, Indiana, Caroling in the Cave.

How Latkes Became Hanukkah's Favorite Food (HowStuffWorks)

Everything You Know About Latkes Is Wrong (The Atlantic)

Caroling In The Cave/Marengo Cave (Visit Indiana)

Red, yellow and green have been our standard stoplight colors for over a century. But researchers in North Carolina suggest a fourth color could help driverless cars and those steered by humans share the road. Plus: Chester, Illinois was home to the creator of Popeye and they have the statues all over town to prove it.

A Study Proves Stoplights Need a Fourth Color: White (Popular Mechanics)

The Popeye Capital of the World Is Hiding In Small Town Illinois And It’s As Weirdly Wonderful As You’d Expect (Only In Illinois)

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Today in 1949, the birthday of musician Tom Waits. His path has been unique and singular, accept no imitations… no really. A Tom Waits imitation once led the singer to sue a giant snack company. Plus: around this time in 2021, a security guard on his first day on the job drew eyes on a million dollar painting because he was "bored."

When Tom Waits Sued Frito-Lay Over a Doritos Ad (Mental Floss)

A security guard is accused of ruining a million-dollar painting by drawing eyes on it in ballpoint pen (Yahoo!)

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Today in 1872, the Chicago Tribune reported on the launch of a new fire station that would change the profession of firefighting forever by inventing the fire pole. Plus: around this time in 2002, the Supreme Court in Finland ruled that cab drivers would have to pay royalties for musicians (!)

In response to White Chicagoans mocking the first Black fire crew in 1872, they wanted to prove themselves as good, if not better (Chicago Tribune)

Finland's cabbies face the music (The Guardian)

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There was a really interesting piece on J-STOR recently that washes away the widespread idea that the Middle Ages in Europe was just unbelievably filthy. Why is it that we think the Middle Ages WAS so dirty? Plus: for Computer Science Education Week, a look at a deliberately difficult coding language called Malbolge. 

Scrub-a-Dub in a Medieval Tub (JSTOR)

The Middle Ages Were Cleaner Than We Think (Wall Street Journal)

Introduction to Malbolge (LScheffer)

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Today in 1974, the first time a person used a computer to order a pizza. It wasn't an online order, but it was still a big moment in the history of tech (and the history of pizza). Plus: today in 2020, the UK news outlet The Independent reported on a man in Italy who had a very strange week.

Watch: Talking computer orders a pizza in 1974 (CBS News)

Man fined after walking 280 miles to calm down following row with wife during lockdown (The Independent)

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Today in 2010, the US Postal Service released a new stamp featuring the Statue of Liberty - well, sort of. And that “sort of” ended up being a big and expensive deal. Plus: a new device called The Super Smart Fridge could help grocery shoppers remember whether they still have some ketchup at home or whether they need more.

GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME TRIPLE SEVENS (Now I Know)

Statue of Liberty (Linn’s Stamp News)

Rocco’s The Super Smart Fridge Lets You Check What You Already Have, Remotely (Cool Hunting)

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Today in 1858 the US issued a patent for the mason jar. And yes, the story of the mason jar starts with someone named Mason. Plus: congratulations to this year’s newly-announced winners of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

A Brief History of the Mason Jar (Smithsonian)

WINNERS ANNOUNCED! (Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards) 

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At the airport in Las Vegas, there's a terminal you can't use to fly in and catch a Golden Knights game or drop by a casino. It's used only by one of the most out-of-sight airlines in the world, a secret airline known as "Janet." Plus: as humans consider missions further out into space, Jihee Kim designs a robot dog named Laika that could help keep astronauts from getting lonely.

U.S. Air Force Looking For New ‘Janet’ Operator (Aviation Week)

U.S. government airline Janet hides in plain site (News.com.au)

life-like, AI robot dog 'laika' offers physical and emotional support for space travelers (designboom)
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The Tension-Activated Repair Patch could help people with back injuries, and it works a little bit like how we patch flat tires on the road. Plus: The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is typically the start of a unique tradition in Albuquerque, New Mexico: making a snow person out of tumbleweeds!

New ‘patch’ uses natural body motion to fix disc herniation (University of Pennsylvania)

Tumbleweed Snowman (Atlas Obscura)

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