Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Why the Ouija Board Became So Big
Ouija board is parlor game, albeit one with no rules, strategy, or goal. What it does have is whiff of the supernatural, which is enough to make it a long-lasting hit. Vox brings us the history of the Ouija board, as part of its series called "Overrated." (via Tastefully Offensive)
The Oxymoron Museum
Someone came up with the word oxymoron because "contradiction in terms" took too long to say. From John Atkinson of Wrong Hands. (via Nag on the Lake)
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Words That Are Opposites in British English and American English
The US and Britain have been described as two nations forever divided by a common language. It's a quote attributed to George Bernard Shaw, but never confirmed. Americans can sometimes get confused by British terms, and vice versa. When that happens, the best thing to do is note the accent, if spoken, or check the spelling in text. Whether some words ends in "or" or "our" will tell whether the source is in British English or American English.
Laurence Brown defines some words that are opposites in the two languages, like "public school." And some that are not quite opposites, but mean something very different, like "pants." And also "nonplussed," a word in which the meaning has drifted through incorrect usage. In any event, 'nonplussed" should always be avoided, because no one knows what it really means, and those who think they do invariably use it incorrectly. There's a 30-second skippable ad at 2:24.
Violet
If you ever had a soft spot for a spider named Charlotte, then you'll fall in love with a jumping spider named Violet. She's really cute, once you get over how hairy she is, and those eight eyes. Only two of them are big enough to be noticeable and they look at you with love. Claudia Araceli Reichard is an artist who makes miniatures. She's very allergic to cats and dogs, and she's afraid of spiders. Or was, until she met Violet. At a car wash. She took Violet home, and bonded with her. You might wonder how you know a spider bonds with a human, so watch how Violet follows Claudia around. Now Claudia had someone who could enjoy her miniature rooms and settings! (via Laughing Squid)
Your Sense of Direction
Some people manage to navigate in unfamiliar areas just fine, while others can get lost walking home from school. We used to be able to tell those people apart, until everyone became so reliant on GPS to do the navigating for us. When my daughters started driving through big cities, I told them not to panic when they realize they are in the wrong lane; just go with it. It's better to be lost than to crash, and they needed to learn how to get un-lost anyway. That's what my parents told me, too.
Science has determined where in the brain our navigation skills lie, and we've learned that part of our talents in that area are genetic. Still, we can get better at wayfinding by learning, observation, and practice. It's a pity that so many people have outsourced that task and no longer practice finding their way around without GPS. I can see a time in the near future when these same people outsource all their critical thinking to AI and lose that ability, too.
Cultural Differences
The logical explanation is that the Russian cat would rather be near the fire because it's cold outside. Or else he started the fire. (via reddit)
The Birmingham Church Bombing
Sixty-three years ago today, a bomb ripped through the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, killed four young girls: Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley, all 14, and 11-year-old Denise McNair. Another 22 people were injured. It was the 41st bombing in the city in only 16 years. Four Ku Klux Klan membered were responsible, but it took years for any of them to be prosecuted, and one died before ever facing justice.
See photographs of the tragedy here.
Struggling
Even after the absurdity was added, you thought this was going to turn out to be a tragedy, didn't you? There is still some good in this world. This comic is from Rustled Jimmies. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
Monday, September 14, 2026
Bobcats
Isn't it convenient (and nice) that this family of bobcats has decided to live near a trail cam?
The Pilgrims' Miserable Voyage on the Mayflower
Long distance travel these days can be pretty onerous, with intrusive security checks, unruly passengers, and boring layovers. But that's nothing compared to the way things were 400 years ago. When the Pilgrims boarded the Mayflower in England in 1620 headed for Virginia, they knew it would be a difficult trip. But it was even harder than they imagined.
First, the Mayflower was dangerously overcrowded, since the journey was planned for two ships. Also, the Mayflower was a cargo ship, not designed for passengers plus their livestock and all their worldly goods. It was not designed for intercontinental travel, either. The food was bad and illness followed. After 66 days at sea, the Mayflower landed- in the wrong place. It was good to be on dry land, but you know things got even worse from there for the Pilgrims.
Miss Cellania's Links
The Detroit Werewolf. Tales of werewolves in Michigan go back a long way. (via Strange Company)
Zach Anner has a bit of insight about prayer.
Why Does Canada’s Capital City of Ottawa Have a Street Named After President Donald Trump? https://brilliantmaps.com/trump-ottawa/ (via Nag on the Lake)
The Polar Bear Once Kept at the Tower of London.
Minnesotastan found that life imitates fiction in an eerie way. Who says it can't happen here?
We’re living through an explainer epidemic. Tiny mics, endless hot takes and the algorithm-fueled rise of the ‘thoughtfluencer.’ (via Fark)
Physicist does the math on Star Trek’s “Picard maneuver.” (via Damn Interesting)
How Did the Nation Get Its Name? Other Suggestions Included the United Colonies, Columbia and the United States of Alleghania. (via Strange Company)
Edgar Allan Poe: as Creepy as Ever
Readers have been enjoying the short stories and poetry of Edgar Allan Poe for almost 200 years. What makes his literature so relatable over time? Scott Peeples dives into that question in this TED-Ed lesson. (via Boing Boing)
The Interview
Greatest strength
— AlternativeTo (@alternativeto.net) September 10, 2026 at 6:28 AM
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