In Texas, prison inmates have to pay $100 a year out of their personal account to see a doctor for a sickness that is not an emergency or a chronic illness. If they don’t have the money, half of all future funds deposited into their account are put towards the debt. 00
The shortest Oscar Speech ever was given by Patty Duke in…
The shortest Oscar Speech ever was given by Patty Duke in 1962, who at age 16, the youngest person to accept an Oscar in a competitive category, said “Thank You”, and walked off the stage. 00
Theodore and Eleanor Roosevelt, when staying…
Theodore and Eleanor Roosevelt, when staying in the White House, reported sightings or a presence of Abraham Lincoln’s Ghost. Sightings have also been reported by Margaret Truman, Winston Churchill, and Henry Truman. 00
Who’s Really to Blame for Last Night’s Oscar Debacle?
The last five minutes of the 89th Academy Awards delivered one of the most shocking moments in Oscar history. For viewers who called it quits before the final trophy was handed out, here’s what happened: Two minutes into the acceptance speeches for La La Land’s Best Picture win, it was revealed that Damien Chazelle’s musical wasn’t the rightful winner after all. Barry Jenkins’s Moonlight was the true Best Picture winner, and the casts and crews of the two films awkwardly switched places on stage in a moment that was stranger than cinematic fiction.
You can watch the scene play out below:
Warren Beatty, who opened the envelope and then handed the card to his fellow presenter, Faye Dunaway, to read, has received a lot of flak for the incident online. But according to Mashable, the London-based accounting and professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is really to blame for the mix-up.
For years, the PwC accountants have managed the Academy Awards ceremony. Last night, officials made the egregious error of handing the envelope containing the Best Actress winner to Beatty instead of the one for Best Picture. The company released a statement, which read:
“We sincerely apologize to ‘Moonlight,’ ‘La La Land,’ Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, and Oscar® viewers for the error that was made during the award announcement for Best Picture. The presenters had mistakenly been given the wrong category envelope and when discovered, was immediately corrected. We are currently investigating how this could have happened, and deeply regret that this occurred.”
You can witness Beatty’s confusion upon opening the envelope in the video above. After reading Emma Stone’s name listed when he was supposed to be announcing Best Picture, the stumped actor passed the buck to his partner—and Bonnie and Clyde co-star—Dunaway, who saw the words La La Land and read them immediately. So don’t blame the presenters; they were also victims of last night’s epically embarrassing oversight.
[h/t Mashable]
February 27, 2017 – 10:45am
You Can’t Miss Monday’s Best Amazon Deals
As a recurring feature, our team combs the Web and shares some amazing Amazon deals we’ve turned up. Here’s what caught our eye today, February 27.
Mental Floss has affiliate relationships with certain retailers, including Amazon, and may receive a small percentage of any sale. But we only get commission on items you buy and don’t return, so we’re only happy if you’re happy. Good luck deal hunting!
GADGETS, TOYS, AND MEDIA
Garmin vívofit 2 Activity Tracker, Black for $59.00 (list price $80.10)
Timex T236BQX FM Dual Alarm Clock Radio with USB Charge Port – Black for $23.58 (list price $50.28)
MeasuPro Instant Read Fingertip Digital Pulse Oximeter, FDA Approved for $19.99 (list price $24.99)
Emporio Armani Men’s AR2477 Dress Silver Watch for $141.20 (list price $245.00)
Funko Marvel: Avengers 2 – Thor Bobble Head Action Figure for $8.99 (list price $10.99)
Little Buddy Toys Nintendo Official Super Mario Plush, 8″ for $13.95 (list price $16.99)
Funko POP Marvel: Deadpool Two Swords Action Figure for $8.78 (list price $10.99)
KITCHEN
Thermos Stainless King 24 Ounce Food Jar, Midnight Blue for $22.38 (list price $25.03)
Thermos Stainless Steel Beverage Can Insulator for 12 Ounce Can for $8.29 (list price $10.99)
Thermos 16-Ounce Drink Bottle with Tea Infuser, Black for $21.58 (list price $26.99)
Thermos Stainless King 16 Ounce Travel Mug, Stainless Steel for $22.39 (list price $27.99)
AmazonBasics Premium 8-Piece Steak Knife Set for $16.76 (list price $19.99)
Chef’n Zipstrip Herb Stripper for $4.70 (list price $6.72)
Ninja Nutri Bowl DUO with Auto-iQ Boost (NN102) for $97.99 (list price $139.99)
HOME
Dyson V6 Origin Cord-Free Stick Vacuum (Certified Refurbished) for $199.99 (list price $399.99)
Black+Decker BDH2000PL MAX Lithium Pivot Vacuum, 20-volt for $58.99 (list price $79.99)
Honeywell HUL520W Mistmate Cool Mist Humidifier, White for $21.99 (list price $36.96)
Purefly Inflatable Soft Velvet Neck Support Travel Pillow for $21.99 (list price $69.99)
Yankee Candle Company Winter Glow Large Jar Candle for $22.61 (list price $27.99)
Patton PUH680-N-U Milk-House Utility Heater for $18.99 (list price $32.99)
Whitmor Supreme Hanging Garment Bag, Clear for $11.49 (list price $14.16)
Whitmor 6256-4925 Shark Collapsible Cube for $10.25 (list price $19.99)
Vornado MVH Whole Room Vortex Heater, Black for $59.99 (list price $79.99)
Skip Hop Geo Grey-Cream Playspot Foam Floor Tile Playmat, Chevron for $63.20 (list price $79.00)
Tide PODS Free & Gentle HE Turbo Laundry Detergent Pacs 81-load Tub for $16.99 (list price $25.75)
Hoover Commercial CH32008 Hush Tone Canister Vacuum, 9 L for $141.00 (list price $210.83)
BLACK+DECKER F67E Classic Iron with Aluminum Soleplate, Black/Silver for $24.97 (list price $29.99)
BONECO/Air-O-Swiss Warm or Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humidifier 7147 for $99.99 (list price $169.99)
HEALTH AND BEAUTY
True Wine Wipes Single Packs (12 Individual Pack), 2″, White for $7.26
Gillette Mach3 Turbo Men’s Razor with 1 Mach3 Turbo Men’s Razor Refill for $5.99 (list price $8.99)
Bio-Oil Liquid Purcellin Oil, 4.2 oz for $7.69 (list price $19.99)
DenTek Fresh Clean Floss Pick, 75 Count for $3.19 (list price $3.49)
Colgate Slim Soft Charcoal Toothbrush (Pack of 3) Ultra Soft for $4.25 (list price $6.00)
Retainer Brite 96 Tablets (3 Months Supply) for $12.49 (list price $14.99)
Colgate Wisp Portable Mini-Brush Max Fresh, Peppermint, 24 Count for $3.59 (list price $7.99)
Biotene Oral Rinse for Dry Mouth Symptoms-33.8 oz for $10.39 (list price $14.09)
O’Keeffe’s Original Lip Repair Stick for $3.47 (list price $5.99)
Holika Holika Soda Pore Cleansing Cleansing Cream (Korean original) by Beautyshop for $9.99
Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Night Moisturizer, 1 Fl. Oz for $16.98 (list price $19.99)
Wahl Hair Clipper Blade Oil 4 oz. #3310-300 for $4.27 (list price $5.99)
NOW Solutions Glycerine Vegetable, 16-Fluid Ounces for $6.29 (list price $8.99)
Vitafusion Women’s Gummy Vitamins, Natural Berry Flavors, 150 Count for $7.59 (list price $12.99)
Vitafusion Calcium, Gummy Vitamins For Adults, 500 mg, 100-Count for $9.88 (list price $12.00)
OFFICE, SCHOOL, AND CRAFTS
Newhouse Lighting 3W Energy-Efficient LED Clamp Lamp Light, Black for $16.59 (list price $24.99)
Educational Insights AlphaMagnets Lowercase Letter Magnets (42 pieces) for $7.48 (list price $9.99)
uni-ball 207 Impact Gel Pens, Bold Point (1.0mm), Blue, 12 Count for $19.26 (list price $33.59)
Vallejo Basic USA Colors Paint Set, 17ml for $39.60 (list price $52.99)
Tombow Dual Brush Pen Art Markers, Muted, 10-Pack for $15.95 (list price $23.44)
Sharpie Pen, Fine Point, 6-Pack, Assorted Colors (1924215) for $7.23 (list price $14.16)
Sharpie Clear View Highlighter Stick, Assorted, 4-Pack (1950749) for $5.94 (list price $9.78)
Brother PTD400AD Label Maker With AC Adapter for $39.99 (list price $59.99)
BIC Z4+ Roller 0.7mm 4ct, Black (Z4CP41-Blk) for $6.93 (list price $8.50)
Sharpie 1780478 Accent Gel Highlighter, Fluorescent Yellow, 12-Pack for $11.50 (list price $19.98)
EXPO Dry Erase Whiteboard Cleaning Spray, 1 Gallon for $15.44 (list price $38.37)
Sharpie Metallic Permanent Markers, Fine Point, Silver, 36 Pack for $23.97 (list price $43.75)
OUTDOORS, GARDEN, AND SPORTS
Miracle-Gro AeroGarden Bounty with Gourmet Herb Seed Pod Kit for $249.99 (list price $419.99)
AmazonBasics Elevated Cooling Pet Bed – Large for $22.25 (list price $25.99)
AmazonBasics Cat Tree with Scratching Posts – Medium for $26.99 (list price $29.99)
AmazonBasics Dog Waste Bags with Dispenser and Leash Clip – 600-Count for $10.79 (list price $11.99)
Coleman 9949-750 Road Trip Grill LXE for $134.10 (list price $149.00)
Coleman Green Valley Cool Weather Sleeping Bag for $29.24 (list price $45.99)
Coleman Sundome 4-Person Tent for $49.13 (list price $63.99)
KingCamp Solar Shower 20 Litre / 5.28 Gallon for $10.99 (list price $13.99)
Coleman 24-Piece Enamel Dinnerware Set for $29.48 (list price $32.76)
Coleman Oversized Quad Chair with Cooler for $23.99 (list price $29.99)
I Go A1FA02 Expedition First Aid Kit with Nylon Case, Red for $11.55 (list price $35.99)
Coleman Converta Cot for $29.26 (list price $62.99)
Contigo AUTOSPOUT Addison Reusable Water Bottle, 24oz, Ocean for $14.99 (list price $32.43)
Dramm 12380 Heavy-Duty Brass Adjustable Hose Nozzle for $13.71 (list price $17.99)
US Flag Store Printed Polyester Pirate Jack Rackham Flag, 3 by 5-Feet for $6.38 (list price $7.52)
ELECTRONICS
Ring Stick Up Cam, Outdoor security camera with 2-way audio for $168.99 (list price $199.00)
NETGEAR AC1900 WiFi Range Extender – Essentials Edition (EX6400) for $79.99 (list price $129.99)
TOOLS
DEWALT D26677K 3-1/4-Inch Portable Hand Planer Kit for $129.00 (list price $137.99)
ScotchBlue Painter’s Tape, Delicate Surface, 1.88-Inch by 60-Yard for $9.27 (list price $14.64)
3M Sanding Sponge, Extra Fine Grit, 6-Pack for $13.92 (list price $16.38)
Crescent CTK170CMP2 Mechanics Tool Set, 170-Piece for $84.00 (list price $206.13)
Stanley STST14027 SortMaster Tool Organizer for $9.07 (list price $12.77)
TEKTON PLR99007 Snap Ring Pliers Set, 4-Piece for $20.75 (list price $23.99)
Tach-It Model-L All Metal Tap Knife (Pack of 12) for $5.56 (list price $7.08)
Zwipes Auto 892-2 Microfiber Premium Plush Cloth, 6-Pack for $11.85 (list price $16.94)
IRWIN VISE-GRIP GrooveLock V-Jaw Pliers, 8-Inch, 2078108 for $8.81 (list price $22.90)
AstroAI Digital Multimeter with Ohm Volt Amp and Diode Test for $12.99 (list price $27.99)
Tach-It B-1 Single Edge Industrial Razor Blade (Pack of 100) for $5.44 (list price $6.94)
Kidde FA110 Multi Purpose Fire Extinguisher 1A10BC, 1 Pack for $18.98 (list price $19.98)
DEWALT DW2166 45-Piece Screwdriving Set with Tough Case for $9.99 (list price $41.80)
TEKTON 5941 Digital Tire Gauge, 100 PSI for $10.79 (list price $11.99)
February 27, 2017 – 12:33pm
6 Times the Wrong Winner Was Announced
Call it #Oscargate2017. After a nearly four-hour Academy Awards ceremony that produced a few fun surprises—including a bus full of starstruck tourists and candy and doughnuts falling from the sky—the auditorium at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre erupted into total confusion when the night’s biggest award was mistakenly given to Damien Chazelle’s La La Land … only to discover that it was, in fact, Barry Jenkins’s Moonlight that had been named Best Picture.
Though PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accounting firm that tallies the night’s big winners, has officially taken blame for the gaffe, it’s a moment that will be remembered for years to come. But it’s not the first time the wrong winner has been announced in a very public way.
1. MISS UNIVERSE // 2015
In the wake of last night’s Best Picture mix-up, Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel joked, “This is very unfortunate what happened. Personally, I blame Steve Harvey for this.” In December 2015, Steve Harvey became the internet’s favorite meme after he mistakenly named Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutiérrez, as Miss Universe, when it was Miss Philippines, Pia Wurtzbach, who had actually won. Though both women took the error in stride, Harvey told Jimmy Fallon that “It was four minutes of pure hell.”
2. BET AWARDS // 2011
An awkward moment occurred at the 2011 BET Awards when contest winner Tiffany Green was given the opportunity to announce the year’s Viewer’s Choice Award. She announced Chris Brown as the year’s recipient—then had to quickly correct herself and announce that it was actually Brown’s ex, Rihanna, who had won. (Drake graciously accepted the award on RiRi’s behalf.) It wouldn’t be the last time Rihanna was involved in this sort of mix-up (more on that below).
3. AUSTRALIA’S NEXT TOP MODEL // 2010
In 2010, with a live crowd watching, Australia’s Next Top Model host Sarah Murdoch announced that contestant Kelsey Martinovich had won the reality show title. Tears of joy were shed and thanks were given, until a pale-faced Murdoch interrupted the happy moment to apologize and say that it was actually Amanda Ware who had been the intended winner.
“I don’t know what to say right now,” Murdoch told the finalists—and the confused crowd of 2000. “I’m feeling a bit sick about this. I’m so sorry about this, oh my God. I don’t know what to say. This is a complete accident, I’m so sorry. It’s Amanda … it was read to me wrong.”
4. NRJ MUSIC AWARDS // 2009
Call it a case of things getting lost in translation. In 2009, Katy Perry happily accepted the award for Best International Song for “I Kissed a Girl” at the NRJ Awards in Cannes, France. Except the award wasn’t Perry’s to accept—it was meant for Rihanna and “Disturbia.” Fortunately, Perry didn’t go home empty-handed: she did (legitimately) win Best International Album for One of the Boys at the same event.
5. MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS // 2002
Michael Jackson’s win for “Artist of the Millennium” at the 2002 VMAs wasn’t so much an error as it was a misunderstanding. Because the event happened to fall on the King of Pop’s birthday, Britney Spears was tasked with presenting him with an elaborate cake to mark the occasion. In her lead-up to the baked goods, she referred to MJ as the “artist of the millennium” (no caps) which he understood as “Artist of the Millennium”—an award that, unfortunately, did not exist. (Though if it had, we’re sure he would have been a top contender.)
6. “DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN” // 1948
If ever there was a time to yell “Stop the presses!,” it would have been in the moments following the 1948 presidential election, when the Chicago Daily Tribune ran a headline that boldly—albeit incorrectly—stated that “Dewey Defeats Truman.” In truth, it was the other way around. Fortunately, President Truman found the whole thing pretty funny and happily posed for pictures while holding up the paper.
February 27, 2017 – 10:00am
Take a Virtual Tour of Queen Mary’s Dollhouse
A dollhouse built for Queen Mary in the early 1920s is more luxurious than many life-sized homes. Given to the Queen as a gift for her efforts in World War I, it features running water, electric lights, working elevators, and flushing toilets.
British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens was behind the larger design, but more than 1500 artists and craftsmen fabricated miniatures for the structure. The dollhouse’s library includes original stories handwritten by famous authors of the period. Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle all contributed pieces to the collection. In the wine cellar, 1200 thimblefuls of real booze are kept in miniature bottles. The garage houses a Daimler and a 1923 Silver Ghost limousine.
The dollhouse is also one of the biggest ever made at a 1:12 scale (one inch to one foot). When thanking everyone responsible, Queen Mary called it “the most perfect present that anyone could receive.” You can get a detailed look at the structure, which is now on display at Windsor Castle, in the video below.
[h/t BBC]
February 27, 2017 – 9:00am
15 Geeky Tote Bags For Lugging Around Your Books
Ever have too many books to possibly hold under one arm? We know the struggle, and that’s why we did some digging to find you some excellent tote bags to hold all your stuff—books or otherwise.
1. STAR WARS; $70
Whether you’re with the Rebels or the Empire, this bag has the right patches to match your current alliance. And, should you ever change your allegiance, just flip the bag over to display the correct designs. The twill and faux leather tote has a document pocket on the Imperial side that closes with a magnetic snap. There’s also an interior pocket with a zipped pouch for transporting important memory drives across the galaxy.
Find it: ThinkGeek
2. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE; $18
Where the Wild Things Are author Maurice Sendak once drew an illustration for a child who was so excited by it, he ate it. We assume you won’t bite into this canvas tote bag, but it is still a pretty thrilling design. The double-sided bag features an extended version of the iconic cover printed in vibrant color. And, when you purchase this tote, a book goes to a community in need.
Find it: Amazon
3. GIANT CAT FACE; $19
Turn heads with this bold statement tote that’s shaped like a gigantic cat head. No one can question your love for felines while you’re slinging this 23-inch polyester bag with added ears on your shoulder.
Find it: Amazon
4. DINOSAURS; $18
Is there anything more exciting than a parade of dinosaurs? Dustin Harbin researched dinosaurs and other creatures who lived among them for this highly detailed design. Each ancient beast is drawn to a relative scale and gets its own nameplate stating its length. The design later spurred a leporello (a 6.5-foot infographic that folds out), which features over 100 illustrated creatures.
Find it: Society6
5. COMPOSITION NOTEBOOK; $20
Now you can put your writing journals into a bag that looks like a giant composition notebook, sort of like how you put all your grocery bags into another grocery bag for safe keeping. This cotton canvas bag comes with a small inner pocket for things like pens and knickknacks.
Find it: Amazon
6. POKEMON; $60
This faux leather tote features the four starter Pokemon from the beloved Japanese franchise. Each pocket monster is designed in a traditional sailor tattoo style with flowers, leaves, and banners that say “Gotta Catch ‘Em All!” There’s even a matching wallet that you can store inside. The 16-inch tall bag has plenty of room for all your potions and Pokeballs.
Find it: ThinkGeek
7. RICK AND MORTY; $20
Need to get something done? Maybe have some books carried with ease? Mr. Meeseeks is here to help with this blue, polyester tote. Just make sure you follow through or you’ll have a lot of angry Meeseeks on your hands.
Find it: Redbubble
8. MOBY-DICK SENTENCE DIAGRAM; $22
Lovers of order and diagrams are definitely a fan of the classic Reed-Kellogg system, which converts sentences into organized trees. This 16-inch wide tote sports the first and last line of Moby-Dick in parsed trees on either side of the bag.
Find it: Pop Chart Labs
9. UNICORN TAPESTRY; $18
Even a unicorn can be prone to tsundoku. This book-centric tote is based on the famous tapestry “The Unicorn in Captivity.” Thankfully, in this version, the unicorn is free and surrounded by books.
Find it: Society6
10. GUDETAMA; $40
Japan’s favorite lazy egg cartoon now comes in bag form. This faux leather tote is 18 inches tall and comes with two little egg arms that hang from the side. The inside is lined with a yellow and white polka dot pattern and has an inner pocket for smaller items. And, it comes with a sunny-side up Gudetama coin purse that closes with a zipper and clips into place.
Find it: ThinkGeek
11. THE LEGEND OF (FOX) ZELDA; $18
What if Link was a fox? It would certainly make running through Kokiri Forest a lot easier. This charming design is featured on both sides of the bag, which comes in three different sizes.
Find it: Society6
12. BROKEN IMAGE; $30
Sorry—the tote bag image you were looking for is no longer available. This internet savvy design is printed on an American Apparel cotton tote. Hopefully items inside won’t become corrupted like the outside.
Find it: BZA
13. SOLAR SYSTEM; $18
The whole solar system (sorry, Pluto) is lined up on this colorful tote. The vibrantly printed bag is covered on both sides and comes in three sizes.
Find it: Society6
14. COLLECTION OF CAMERAS; $25
Cameras have undergone a lot of shape and design changes through the years. This collapsible canvas tote shows a variety of camera incarnations, starting with the first Kodak in 1888. The design cuts off before contemporary times, but its matching print shows modern options like the iPhone and GoPro.
Find it: Pop Chart Labs
15. NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS MOVIE; $9
This screenprinted, light-weight tote takes an old expression and modernizes it. We have to agree, there are a lot of great books out there with terrible movie counterparts.
Find it: Etsy
February 27, 2017 – 8:00am
5 Questions: Oscar
Questions: | 5 |
Available: | Always |
Pass rate: | 75 % |
Backwards navigation: | Forbidden |
5 Questions: Oscar
Monday, February 27, 2017 – 01:45
What’s the Purpose of the Diamond on the Front of Backpacks?
You may have noticed that a lot of backpacks have a little leather square sewn right on the front. Just like the tiny pocket in your jeans or the hole in a spaghetti spoon, the design, which is found commonly on Herschel bags, is about more than just style.
The little diamonds—called lash tabs or pig snouts—have two parallel slits cut out of the center. This lets you weave a cord or string through and tie various items—shoes, a water bottle, a flashlight—to your bag. The strong little square is built to hold your larger items while hiking or traveling, but it can also be used for smaller objects like earbuds or name tags.
[h/t Lifehacker]
February 27, 2017 – 6:30am