12 Trivia Tidbits for Thursday, August 15, 2024
You ever get really, irrationally mad at a friend with a stupid opinion? Well, one guy killed his buddy over the old “chicken and the egg” conundrum.
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First They Came for the Goths, and I Said Nothing, Because I’m More of an Emo Guy
El Paso, Texas‘ Charles Middle School sent out a notice to parents that students aren‘t allowed to wear black clothes to school this year: “We are eliminating a look that has taken over on campus with students wearing black tops with black bottoms, which has become more associated with depression and mental health issues and/or criminality than with happy and healthy kids ready to learn.”
Where Does ‘O’Clock’ Come From?
The clock was invented around 1270 AD. For centuries, Middle English speakers had to say “of the clokke,” which doesn‘t exactly roll off the tongue. The first recorded instance of someone shortening it to “o‘clock” came in 1560. People dabbled with the less apostrophe-laden “a clock” for a while, but the more Leprechaun-ish “o‘clock” won out some time in the 1800s.
The Tiffany Problem
“The Tiffany Problem” refers to names and words in literature that sound anachronistic, but are actually period appropriate. Tiffany was a popular name in medieval England and France, but if you read about a Tiffany in like, Game of Thrones, you’d throw the book across the room.
The Olympics Broke an Especially Odd Record This Year
During the closing ceremony of the Olympics, a 2010 track by artist Kavinsky was played live. People went nuts for it, giving Shazam its busiest minute in the history of the app.
Please Do Not Feed the Monks
Buddhist monks often rely on donated food, but Cambodia is asking people to quit giving them energy drinks, as diabetes rates among monks has exceeded the national rate. Pagoda chiefs are trying to wean them off of the good stuff by giving them free milk.
Chipotle’s CEO Has Defected to Starbucks
Brian Niccol has been Chipotle’s CEO for six years, leading the already pretty well-off chain to massive success lately. In a surprise move, it was just announced that he’s joining Starbucks as its CEO and executive chairman.
Which Countries Swear the Most?
According to a survey of 1.7 million tweets, the top three most potty-mouthed countries are Australia (26.6 swears per thousand tweets), Britain (28.6) and the good ol’ U S of friggin’ A (41.6).
The NFL’s Coolest Hot Seat
The Dallas Cowboys haven’t made the Super Bowl in 28 years, but they just became the first sports franchise on the planet to be worth more than $10 billion. They raked in over $1 billion in 2023 alone, twice as much as the next NFL team. Jerry Jones bought the team in 1989 for $150 million, which is a pretty solid investment.
A Guy Killed His Friend Over a Riddle
A dude went to his friend’s house to repay a debt, but the two started drinking and waxing philosophical. When things got heated over the old “what came first, the chicken or the egg?” question, one guy tried to leave. His friend chased him down with a bike and stabbed him to death with a dagger.
Anyway, We May Have an Answer
Zoologist Luis Villazon says that eggs are about two billion years old, while chickens are only about 10,000 years old. Therefore, “Eggs are much older than chickens.”
Kids Just Aren’t Smoking Like They Used To
A recent survey has found that cigarette smoking in the U.S. is at an eight-decade low. Our grandparents and great grandparents were ripping way more stoges than we are.
Disney Says Your Disney+ Agreement Prevents You From Suing If They Kill You at Their Parks
A doctor died after a Disney restaurant “ignored her nut allergy.” Disney is arguing that her husband can’t sue them, because his 2019 Disney+ subscription bars him from engaging in litigation with the company.