12 Trivia Tidbits for Thursday, August 1, 2024
The cure for hiccups and some dirt on ancient oyster divers, both on the same list. Who could have imagined?
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The Scientific Approach to Hiccups
According to scientists, your best bet for getting rid of hiccups is to focus on your breath. Meditation-like breathwork can reduce stress, and if you’re lucky, reset and rebalance a glitch in your nervous system.
Target Is Trying to Control the Thrifting Scene
Target is offering up 20 percent discount coupons if you donate your old denim. They say it’s to “reduce waste and keep used denim out of landfills,” but a more cynical take is that it’s a bold attempt by a brand to control the life and profit of its product after retail.
New York Is Losing Its Monopoly on Pizza
A recent list of the 50 best pizza places in the country only included 10 New York joints. California and even Connecticut are beginning to encroach upon NYC’s doughy territory.
Maya Rudolph Put Her Other Series on Hold to Play Kamala Harris
Rudolph is executive producing and starring in an AppleTV+ series called Loot, but she just put the show on hold so she can focus on playing Kamala Harris on SNL in the lead-up to the election.
Officially, Statistically the GOAT
Simone Biles has been revolutionizing gymnastics for years, but she’s now statistically the best American gymnast of all time. She just got her eighth Olympic gold medal, passing the previous record holder, Shannon Miller.
The Most Dangerous Beach on the Planet
Aside from the beach that makes you old, Australia’s Cape Tribulation is probably the most dangerous beach around. It lures adventurous types in with its great surfing and gorgeous shoreline, but there have been at least 80 documented deaths due to rip currents, the water is infested with crocodiles and deadly jellyfish and it’s not impossible to be pecked to death on land by the gorgeous and freaky cassowary.
Spirit Airlines Is Going Bougie
Traditionally, flying Spirit Airlines is like riding a wagon train across the Oregon Trail. But they’re about to start pampering their customers, offering heretofore unheard of amenities like Wi-Fi and snacks.
Why Didn’t the Ancient Olympics Include Swimming Events?
Researchers believe the most likely reason is that organizers feared that fishermen, oyster divers and other filthy plebes would have a leg up on the competition. At the time, that type of labor was thought to degrade the body, rather than strengthen it, and they didn’t want to glamorize it.
The Oldest Restaurants in the U.S.
Rhode Island’s White Horse Tavern is the oldest non-continuously operated restaurant in the country, and the 10th oldest in the world, dating back to 1673. The oldest continuously operated restaurant is Massachusetts Wayside Inn, dating back to 1686.
The Largest Restaurant in the World
The Olympic Village is home to the largest restaurant in the world. This year, it’s at the site of an old power plant, and will serve 45,000 meals per day, to 15,000 athletes, prepared by 200 chefs.
The Olympics’ Official Motto Is Half a Daft Punk Song
The Olympics first introduced their motto in 1924 as “Citius, Altius, Fortius,” meaning “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” It was updated in 2021 to “Citius, Altius, Fortius — Communiter," or “Faster, Higher, Stronger — Together.”
A.I. Al Michaels
Legendary sportscaster Al Michaels is still active, calling NFL games for Amazon. But he agreed to let NBC A.I.-generate his voice for 10-minute daily recaps of the Paris Olympics for Peacock.
