So, say you are at a cocktail party and the topic of conversation is….alcohol, a stretch I know. Wouldn’t you be cool if you whipped out the trivial fact that the daquiri was made up by a bored American mining engineer in Cuba in 1905? Ok, maybe not…but at least you got people’s attention.
There is a plethora (love that word) of such trivia in Mental Floss, a monthly magazine, “where knowledge junkies get their fix”. I’ve subscribed to this magazine yearly, when my budget permits, ever since first discovering it in a UC Berkeley dorm room’s common area. It’s bursting with such facts as a listing of the 5 Clever Convicts Who Flew the Coop or articles on the Manly Ways to Prepare Turkey.
This magazine was where I found out how the wind chill is actually measured and I learned of the extraordinary story of a man who took a polaroid of everyday, until the day he died.
What’s great is that their website is as extensive as their printed magazine and is perfect if you’re trying to kill some time (at work, maybe?). I would recommend subscribing though, as it helps support their efforts and it makes for an interesting addition to any coffee table.
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