12 Farm-Fresh Trivia Tidbits for Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Someone needs to go back about 4,375 years and warn the first married couple to knock it the heck off.
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A Japanese Tech Company Is Offering ‘Hangover Leave’
Trust Ring Co. is trying to lure in hard-partying Gen Z-ers with the classic beer on tap in the office thing, but they also ramp it up a notch by offering to let employees come in late whenever they have a hangover.
Another Is Giving You Time Back If You Don’t Smoke
Marketing firm Piala adjusted its vacation policy after a non-smoker complained to HR about the unfairness of smoke breaks. Non-smokers at the company now get six more vacation days to make up for it.
What Are the Best and Worst State Capitals to Live In?
Ranked by affordability, quality of health, education and life, a study found that Raleigh, North Carolina, Madison, Wisconsin and Austin, Texas are the best capitals to live in. Jackson, Missouri, Trenton, New Jersey and Augusta, Maine round out the bottom of the list.
Among a Vast Empty Ocean of Dead Internet, a Shining Beacon: Anthony Bourdain’s Blog Still Exists
Pew Research Center estimates that 38 percent of the internet that existed in 2013 is dead and gone. But you can still read Anthony Bourdain’s musings on his old Tumblr.
Engagement Rings Are a Pope’s Fault
In 850 A.D., Pope Nicholas I, following the tradition of wearing rings to signify business deals and mutual love, declared that a man should present a gold “betrothal ring” as a financial sacrifice to signify that he was totally down for marriage, someday.
The Oldest Recorded Marriage
The oldest marriage on record is a couple in Mesopotamia from about 2350 B.C.
Skip Ahead a Few Years, and Emperor Nero Had One of the Most Problematic Marriages in History
Around 65 A.D., Nero chanced upon an enslaved boy who somewhat resembled his ex-wife (who he had recently murdered, with his feet). He had the boy, named Sporus, castrated and married him in a public ceremony.
Coca-Cola Was Inspired by Cocaine Wine
Vin Mariani was a coca leaf wine produced in the 1860s that inspired John S. Pemberton to make his own coke wine. He called it Pemberton’s French Wine Coca, and it included caffeine from the African kola nut. After Georgia enacted prohibition, Pemberton took out the alcohol and revved up the stimulants, calling his new product Coca-Cola.
The Skinniest House in America Was Built to Combat Drunks and Bad Drivers
A man named John Hollensbury, who lived in Alexandria, Virginia in the early 19th century, had an issue with the alley next to his home. Namely, horse-drawn carriages scraping against the walls and drunkards peeing there late at night. He purchased the alley for $45.65, and built a 7.5-foot wide brick house there. It’s now known as the Hollensbury Spite House, and claims to be the slimmest home in the country.
What Are the Most and Least Common Birthdays?
The top five most common birthdays are all in September, with September 9th leading the pack. The rarest days are the big holidays (Christmas, New Year’s Day and Christmas Eve), most likely because doctors schedule fewer C-sections then.
Not All Mammals Experience Menopause, But Humans Aren’t Alone
So far, scientists know that chimpanzees, orcas and narwhals (and other toothed whales) also exhibit the phenomenon of menopause.
Beer Is Actually Really Good for Horses
Beer contains vitamins that are great for their skin, yeast that’s great for their gut biome and barley that’s good for hydration. The only downside is that they have a liver enzyme that prevents them from getting wasted.
