Author: Stacy

You may recall that in 2000, Al Gore won the popular vote but lost the electoral college. George W. Bush, of course, went on to become the president.

In 1824, Andrew Jackson found himself in an even more confusing situation: He won both the popular vote and got the most votes in the electoral college, but lost the election anyway.

That year, there were four main contenders for president, all from the Democratic-Republican party: Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, Secretary of the Treasury William Harris Crawford, Speaker of the House Henry Clay, and Tennessee Senator Andrew Jackson.

At the time, a candidate needed 131 electoral college votes in order to win the presidency. After all of the ballots were counted, Jackson had received 99 votes to John Quincy Adams’s 84. The remaining votes were split between Crawford and Clay—41 and 37 respectively.

Though Jackson clearly received the most votes—both popular and electoral—he didn’t reach that magic 131 number. Because no one did, the election was kicked to the House of Representatives. According to the 12th Amendment, which refined the process of voting for the president and vice president, the House could only consider the top three candidates, which meant Clay was out.

And that’s when things got interesting. Clay didn’t particularly care for John Quincy Adams, but we know the two of them met privately before the House voted. It’s since been alleged that the pair made what is now known as a “Corrupt Bargain”—Clay promised to work behind the scenes to get the House vote to go Adams’s way, and in return, Adams guaranteed Clay the Secretary of State position.

Both men denied making such a deal, but the proof may have been in the pudding. Clay began actively campaigning for Adams, working hard to turn his votes into votes for Adams. In the end, Adams carried 13 states, Jackson took seven, and Crawford four. As the results were announced, there was so much booing, hissing, and general uproar from the public galleries in the House that the Speaker of the House—Henry Clay—had them all thrown out.

Jackson eventually had his revenge, though. In the 1828 election, he handily defeated the incumbent John Quincy Adams, and served two terms to Adams’s one.

At one time or another, most Disney fans have experienced the pain of having one of their favorite restaurants or attractions close (RIP, Maelstrom). Even Michael Eisner isn’t immune.

When Disney’s Pleasure Island entertainment district was in the planning phase in the 1980s, the creative executives behind the project reportedly knew they would have more luck getting Eisner’s buy-in if they paid homage to one of his favorite movies: Splash.

Madison’s Dive, named after Daryl Hannah’s character in the movie, was going to be a themed saloon built at the end of a pier. Imagineers planned to include extras that would wow patrons, like old seadogs that would sing shanties and tell tales about the one that got away, and elusive mermaids that would occasionally drift by the underwater windows.

Eisner loved it, of course, and Madison’s Dive got the stamp of approval. Disney was so far along in planning that they even announced Madison’s to the press, along with plans for another unrealized venue: a “dance hall surrounded by a roller rink” called Zephyr RockinRolladrome.

Of course, such a place is much more expensive to erect than your typical hole-in-the-wall drinking establishment, so when the Pleasure Island project went over budget, Madison’s Dive was one of the first places to get the axe. (Zephyr RockinRolladrome obviously wasn’t too far behind.)

Disney wasn’t totally devoid of references to Madison the mermaid, however. Since opening day in 1989, Hollywood Studios has used a real prop from the movie as park decor: the mermaid fountain Madison gave to Allen. Though it looked like it was a brass statue surrounded by stone, the whole thing was made of fiberglass. The fountain was still there as of earlier this year, but with the Toy Story Land expansion currently underway, it seems like Splash may be sunk.

Sandwiches have come a long way since the Earl of Sandwich allegedly asked his cook to make him a meal he could hold in one hand. These days, building a sandwich is more of an art form than a convenience—so don’t miss these 15 masterpieces.

1. CHEESESTEAK // PAT’S KING OF STEAKS

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

No sandwich is as synonymous with a city as the cheesesteak is with Philadelphia. There’s certainly no shortage of cheesesteak joints in town, but the two main competitors, Pat’s and Geno’s, are located directly across from one another; people declare their loyalty as ardently as they back a baseball team. But Pat’s came first, the result of an experiment by hot dog vendor Pat Olivieri back in 1930, so it’s worth your time. (Then go across the way and try Geno’s, too.)

2. BEEF ON WECK // SCHWABL’S

Location: West Seneca, New York

If you don’t frequent western New York much, you may be unfamiliar with beef on weck—roast beef on a kummelweck roll. The origins of the highly regional sandwich aren’t entirely clear, though one story claims that a local pub owner created it hoping the salty roll would inspire his patrons to order more drinks. Schwabl’s hand-carved roast beef is some of the best—just be sure to save room for an extra beer to wash it down.

3. HOT BROWN // BROWN HOTEL

Location: Louisville, Kentucky

During the 1920s, the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, held a nightly dinner dance. Rather than serve hungry guests the typical ham and eggs breakfast after they had jitterbugged well into the morning, Chef Fred Schmidt decided to concoct something new. His creation was an open-faced sandwich, topped with turkey, bacon, and Mornay sauce. The revelers devoured it, and the Hot Brown quickly became a regional specialty. Though there are plenty of places that make this messily delicious sandwich, especially in Kentucky, there’s nothing like the original.

4. BROCCOLI CLASSIC // NO. 7 SUB

Location: New York, New York

Not a fan of broccoli, you say? You will be after you try the broccoli sub at No. 7, which is made with seasoned steamed broccoli, fried shallots, ricotta salata, and served on toasted bread with mayo and pickled lychees.

5. CLASSIC OLD TIMER // KREMA NUT COMPANY

Location: Columbus, Ohio

You can get a classic peanut butter and jelly at Krema Nut Company, of course, and even a peanut butter and banana. But it’s the Classic Old Timer, a thick sandwich layered with housemade crunchy peanut butter, strawberry preserves, and slices of strawberries that will make your taste buds sing. Hurry though: they partially close down during the busy season between November 23 and December 28 each year, when they stop serving sandwiches and shakes (but nuts, chocolate, and gifts remain available).

6. LOBSTER ROLL // NEPTUNE OYSTER

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

The Lobster Roll at Neptune Oyster has Serious Eats rethinking ordering the New England staple sandwich from anywhere else. Their Maine Lobster Roll comes hot with butter, or cold with mayo; both come on a delectable brioche bun.

7. PORCHETTA // SALUMI ARTISAN CURED MEATS

Location: Seattle, Washington

Dining on the Porchetta sandwich at Salumi is, according to some who have tasted it, the closest you’ll get to having an out-of-body experience. Armandino and Marilyn Batali (yes, the parents to famous Chef Mario) opened the salumeria and restaurant in 1999, a retirement dream for the two that has been listed amongst other notable must-try restaurants for Seattle. “I’m never ordering a Porchetta sandwich elsewhere. One bite and I was in heaven,” declared one Trip Advisor convert.

8. THE YARDBIRD // SLOWS BAR BQ

Location: Detroit, Michigan

This chicken sandwich topped with mustard sauce, mushrooms, cheddar cheese, and crispy bacon has got a lot of people clucking—even Adam Richman, host of Best Sandwich in America, whose rave reviews landed the Slows sandwich a spot in the final round of the show.

9. MONTE CRISTO // BLUE BAYOU

Location: Anaheim, California

You’ll need Disneyland park admission to sample this French toast-inspired sandwich, but there are plenty of connoisseurs that will tell you it’s a small price to pay for the tasty combination of ham, turkey, and Swiss on egg bread. After the sandwich is assembled, it’s dunked in egg, fried until golden brown, dusted with powdered sugar, and served with blackberry or raspberry preserves. Disneyland gets the credit for popularizing this sweet-and-savory sandwich back in the 1960s—guests asked for the recipe so often that the restaurant printed cards to hand out to requesters.

10. CANTEEN // CANTEEN LUNCH IN THE ALLEY

Location: Ottumwa, Iowa

Fans of Roseanne no doubt remember when the title character decided to open her own business, a lunch counter called “The Lanford Lunch Box.” The hole-in-the-wall eatery was inspired by Canteen Lunch in the Alley, a Depression Era joint famous for its “loose meat” sandwiches, called “Canteens.” There are only 16 stools available, so it’s often standing room only.

11. GRILLED CHEESE // BOUCHON BAKERY

Location: New York, New York

This isn’t your mother’s grilled cheese-and-Campbell’s (though that’s a hard one to beat). The gooey combo of gruyere and fontina cheeses on crisp, buttery pain au lait bread (with tomato soup) at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery has enchanted many New Yorkers in need of comfort food.

12. BREADED PORK TENDERLOIN // NICK’S KITCHEN

Location: Huntington, Indiana

If you love a good breaded pork tenderloin that’s comically larger than the tiny bun it’s wedged between, you have Nick’s Kitchen to thank. Though you can get a good tenderloin any number of places in the Midwest, Nick’s Kitchen still uses their original recipe, the same one founder Nick Freienstein used when he opened his restaurant in 1908.

13. ALMOST FAMOUS // PRIMANTI BROTHERS

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This hearty sandwich—a stack of grilled meat (there’s a variety available) accompanied by coleslaw, French fries, ripe tomato, and a fried egg nestled in soft Italian bread—is a Pittsburgh classic. Primanti Brothers and their Almost Famous have been featured on a number of TV shows, including Best Sandwich in America, among others, so maybe it’s time to change the name. (For the record, a lot of people just call the sandwiches “Primantis.”)

14. DEEP FRIED FLUFFERNUTTER // BLACK MARKET LIQUOR BAR

Location: Studio City, California

This one is technically on the dessert menu at Black Market Liquor Bar, but hey, a sandwich is a sandwich. It takes your classic childhood fluffernutter—peanut butter and marshmallow creme—and dunks it in a deep fat fryer. For a grown-up twist, Black Market Liquor adds bananas to theirs and puts it on brioche rather than white bread.

15. THE PILGRIM // MIKE’S CITY DINER

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

The Pilgrim at Mike’s City Diner is everything you love about Thanksgiving on a sandwich: roasted turkey, cranberries, and stuffing, on a sesame seed bun, served with or without gravy. All of the deliciousness; none of the family drama. What’s not to like?

One of the most entertaining parts of playing any Sims game is listening to the characters converse in their own language of Simlish—and actually sort of understanding them.

Technically, Simlish has been around since 1996, when it was used in the Maxis game SimCopter. But it wasn’t until the release of The Sims in 2000 that the language really took on a life of its own—so much so that some players even developed Simlish-to-English translations.

Though the language was originally based in reality—creator Will Wright had planned to form it around the Navajo language due to his interest in the Navajo code talkers—the team later decided to go with something completely invented so it couldn’t be translated. (Joke’s on them.) And though the words are totally made up, the language almost passes for real.

Here’s what a recording session looks like:

But it’s not just professional voiceover artists who get the chance to speak Simlish. The music featured in Sims games is also performed in the made-up language, and The Sims apparently has a lot of famous fans. Over the years, several popular musicians have recorded some of their biggest hits in Simlish—including Tegan & Sara, who recently recorded a Simlish translation of “Stop Desire” for The Sims 4‘s newest expansion pack. Here are 10 other artists who have done it.

1. KATY PERRY

2. LILY ALLEN

3. KIMBRA

4. NELLY FURTADO

5. MATT AND KIM

6. CARLY RAE JEPSEN

7. TORI KELLY

8. PIXIE LOTT

9. JESSICA MAUBOY

10. MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE

Actor and martial arts legend Chuck Norris achieved household name status after his movie appearances in the 1970s and ’80s—but he had been well-known in the martial arts community for years before. Norris won the Professional Middleweight Karate Championship Title in 1968, which he held for six consecutive years. A year after his first Middleweight title, he won karate’s Triple Crown for the most tournament victories in a year, and was later named Black Belt magazine’s Fighter of the Year.

It was this success that led to an appearance on The Merv Griffin Show on December 21, 1971, a year before The Way of the Dragon would make him famous. Eva Gabor was guest hosting that evening, so he taught her a few self-defense moves—but not before she managed to make him blush a few times. Enjoy:

It would seem that one of the most haunted houses in the U.S. is also one of the most famous. Many spirits have been reported roaming the halls of the White House, but the one that’s seen most often is 16th president Abraham Lincoln—and that includes sightings by some of the most powerful people in the world.

1. GRACE COOLIDGE

In a series of articles for American Magazine, First Lady Grace Coolidge revealed that she once saw Lincoln standing by a window in the Lincoln Bedroom, which had previously been his office. She noted that he was gazing out the window across the Potomac, to a spot that had once been the site of a Civil War battlefield.

2. QUEEN WILHELMINA OF THE NETHERLANDS

Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands stayed at the White House during a state visit in 1942, and apparently heard a knock at the door around midnight. When she opened it, the 16th president was standing there. The queen promptly fainted.

3. MARY EBEN, ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S SECRETARY

The First Lady’s secretary once reported seeing Honest Abe in the northwest bedroom. He was sitting on the bed, pulling his boots on hurriedly as if he had somewhere important to be.

4. WINSTON CHURCHILL

There’s a famous story about how the British Prime Minister met Lincoln’s ghost. During one of his stays at the residence in the 1940s, Churchill had just finished a bath and was walking into the main bedroom, completely nude, when he saw the president standing by the fireplace. “Good evening Mr. President. You seem to have me at a disadvantage,” Churchill is said to have quipped. Though he handled it well, the Prime Minister requested different rooms on subsequent visits.

Before you dismiss the story out of hand, note that it does get one thing right—Churchill was known for lounging around his White House quarters in the buff.

5. AND 6. MAUREEN REAGAN AND DENNIS REVELL

Ronald Reagan’s daughter Maureen was no stranger to overnight visits at the White House. On at least one occasion, her husband Dennis woke up to see a shadowy figure standing by the fireplace. Maureen didn’t believe him until she, too, saw a man in a red coat standing in their room in the middle of the night. She initially thought it was her father in a red bathrobe—until she realized she could see right through him.

When the president heard of the encounters, he said, “Why don’t you send him down the hall? I’ve got a few questions I’d like to ask him.”

7. DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

Ike once told press secretary James Hagerty that he was once walking down a hallway when he spied a figure coming down the hall straight toward him. After a moment, he realized it was Abraham Lincoln.

8. LADY BIRD JOHNSON

Lady Bird Johnson’s press secretary, Liz Carpenter, once said that the First Lady had been watching a documentary on Lincoln’s death when a plaque hanging in the room caught her attention. When she read it, she realized that it mentioned Lincoln’s time in the room—and a feeling of coldness and unease washed over her.

9. FDR’S VALET, CESAR CARRERA

It’s been reported that Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s personal valet, Cesar Carrera, ran from the White House screaming on one occasion—he had just spotted the 16th president’s shade.

10. TONY SAVOY, WHITE HOUSE OPERATIONS FOREMAN

Savoy has said that he was working on the second floor of the residence in the early 1980s when he happened upon a snazzily dressed Lincoln. Wearing a pinstripe suit, the president was sitting in a chair with his hands folded together and his legs crossed. Savoy blinked, and Lincoln was gone.

11. HARRY TRUMAN

Truman never saw Lincoln, but according to one story, he believed that phantom knocks on the door were caused by his predecessor. The rappings often happened when he was working on important speeches. Truman’s daughter Margaret said her father actually wished Lincoln and other deceased presidents would drop by. “I’m sure they’re here,” he told her. “I won’t lock my doors or bar them if any of the old coots in the pictures want to come out of their frames for a friendly chat.”

It wasn’t the only time Truman talked about the ghosts in the White House. In 1945, he wrote a letter to his wife, Bess, that said, “the floors pop and the drapes move back and forth—I can just imagine old Andy and Teddy having an argument over Franklin.”

12. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

Eleanor used the Lincoln Bedroom as her study, and though she never saw him like her secretary did, she reported feeling his presence, especially when she was working alone late at night. The Roosevelt’s Scotch terrier, Fala, was prone to staring intently at nothing while barking, which FDR chalked up to Lincoln’s ghost.

NICE TRY, BETTY FORD

On her last night in the White House, Gerald and Betty Ford’s daughter Susan slept in the Lincoln bedroom with a friend, hoping to catch a glimpse of the famous apparition. Nothing appeared, but Betty Ford tried to make it up to them—in the morning, she entered the room wearing a sheet, making scary noises, and reciting the Gettysburg Address. “We were like, yeah mom, we’re a little too old for that, but it was funny,” Susan later said.

American Horror Story fans have plenty of nightmare fodder this season. Tomasyn White, the ghost of a vengeful colonist played by Kathy Bates, is enough to chill anyone’s bones—but she’s not the only one wreaking havoc in Roanoke. A man with the head of a pig, once one of White’s victims, is also terrorizing residents of the isolated house.

While there was a real Tomasyn White—she was the wife of Roanoke governor John White—as far as we know, she wasn’t particularly terrifying. The legend of the Pigman, however, has had people shaking in their boots for decades.

Like any small town worth its salt, Angola, New York, is home to a creepy tale that has been passed down to generations of teenagers looking to scare themselves while out for a drive on a Friday night. The story goes like this:

There was a hog farmer and butcher who lived on the outskirts of Angola. When he was inundated with work, the butcher would impale the heads of butchered pigs along spikes on his driveway. Locals were fully aware of the butcher’s bizarre “do not disturb” sign and knew to leave him alone when the decapitated heads appeared.

At least, most people knew to leave him alone. A few teenagers decided to test the seriousness of the situation—and, perhaps finding the butcher in a particularly foul mood, were quickly beheaded for their troubles. Like the porcine victims before them, the teenagers’ heads were reportedly impaled on stakes to warn off others. It’s said that the butcher escaped into the nearby woods and was never found, but evidence that he’s still lurking out there pops up from time to time.

Should you want to see a reenactment of the legend, Travel Channel has got you covered:

The road the butcher allegedly once lived on, Holland Road, is now nicknamed “Pigman Bridge Road,” and it’s still a hotspot for kids looking for a thrill.

But Angola doesn’t have the market cornered on ham-handed serial killers. Like crybaby bridges and vanishing hitchhikers, there are Pigman legends scattered across the United States, including in Georgia, Texas, and Vermont. 

Fifty years before Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci tackled Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow (1999), Bing Crosby narrated the Gothic horror story for Walt Disney in The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. For many, it’s become a Halloween staple on par with It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Here are a few things you may not have known about the creepy classic.

1. IT WAS INTENDED TO BE A FEATURE-LENGTH FILM.

In 1946, Disney animators at work on an animated version of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow realized they didn’t have enough material for the full-length feature they had planned. Rather than stretch the storyline thin, they decided to couple the short with another movie that was originally slated to be a full-length film: The Wind in the Willows. Work on the adaptation of the Kenneth Grahame book had been halted when World War II broke out, allocating Disney’s resources and budgets elsewhere.

2. BROM BONES INSPIRED ANOTHER CLASSIC DISNEY CHARACTER.

Animator Andreas Deja has said that Gaston, the macho villain from Beauty and the Beast, was influenced by Katrina Van Tassel’s burly suitor. “[Brom] is a rich character, full of confidence and full of himself. Milt’s animation shows just the right amount of dash and bounce. Although the style of the film is pretty cartoony, Brom Bones’s physique required careful and somewhat realistic draftsmanship in terms of anatomy … This was great inspiration for myself, when I started work on Gaston in Beauty and the Beast.”

3. THE MOVIE MARKS BING CROSBY’S ONLY COLLABORATION WITH DISNEY.

Despite the wholesome, family entertainment reputations upheld by both parties, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is the only time Bing Crosby and Disney worked together.

4. THE “HEADLESS HORSEMAN” SONG WAS FIRST PERFORMED BY TONY THE TIGER.

Before Crosby signed on, voiceover artist and longtime Disney collaborator Thurl Ravenscroft was tapped to sing the “Headless Horseman” song, even recording a version that’s decidedly creepier than Bing’s. The Ravenscroft rendition was later released on Walt Disney Records Archive Collection, Vol. 1. Ravenscroft, of course, also went on to sing “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”

5. THE SHORT ONCE INCLUDED AN ANIMATED HOMAGE TO WASHINGTON IRVING.

When The Legend of Sleepy Hollow made its television debut on the Disneyland TV show in 1955, it included a new 14-minute animated segment about the life and times of author Washington Irving. It hasn’t been made available to the public since, but you can see a bit of the intro above.

6. THE ENDING IS LESS AMBIGUOUS IN THE ORIGINAL NOVEL.

Though the cartoon (and most of the other Sleepy Hollow adaptations) leaves Ichabod’s fate rather murky, Washington Irving’s novel is more blunt: Ichabod survives the encounter, goes on to become a lawyer, and becomes a justice of the Ten Pound Court.

7. BROM BONES’S INVOLVEMENT IS ALSO A BIT MORE OBVIOUS.

Though the cartoon hints that Brom Bones was masquerading as the Headless Horseman in order to scare Ichabod away from Katrina, Irving spells it out a little more in his original work: “Brom Bones, too, who, shortly after his rival’s disappearance conducted the blooming Katrina in triumph to the altar, was observed to look exceedingly knowing whenever the story of Ichabod was related, and always burst into a hearty laugh at the mention of the pumpkin; which led some to suspect that he knew more about the matter than he chose to tell.”

8. ALL OF DISNEY’S NINE OLD MEN WERE INVOLVED IN THE FILM.

Walt Disney’s nine legendary animators all helped bring Ichabod and the Headless Horseman to life. Most of them served as directing animators, with Les Clark serving as an animator.

9. THE CARTOON’S COMPOSER MADE A UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION TO THE SHORT.

Composer Oliver Wallace worked for Disney for 27 years, contributing work to more than 100 projects. As he wrote the score for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Wallace recorded himself whistling to show how Ichabod was trying to keep his composure even as the spooky sounds of the forest make him more and more hysterical.

10. ONE DISNEY EMPLOYEE RELEASED A VERSION 15 YEARS EARLIER.

Ub Iwerks, co-creator of Mickey Mouse, split with longtime friend and collaborator Walt Disney and opened his own studio in 1930. Among Iwerks’s long list of shorts was The Headless Horseman (1934), a 10-minute film made with his own creation, the multiplane camera. By 1940, he and Disney had resolved their differences, and Iwerks found himself back on the payroll, eventually working on the visual effects crew for The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. You can check out his 1934 efforts below to see which one you prefer:

11. THERE’S A NOD TO WASHINGTON IRVING AT THE MAGIC KINGDOM.

Though Disney shorts don’t get as much representation at the theme parks as the blockbusters do, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow makes the cut. Sleepy Hollow Refreshments at the Magic Kingdom serves waffle sandwiches, funnel cakes, and ice cream sandwiches—but what the hungry people standing in line probably don’t realize is that the building is an homage to author Washington Irving. It was designed to look like Sunnyside, his former residence in Tarrytown, New York (also known as Sleepy Hollow).

Additional source: The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation

Need a little affirmation that there’s still a lot of good in this world? This October 22, volunteers from across the country will come together to help others in honor of “Make a Difference Day.” If you want to get in on the act, Make a Difference Day has a wide variety of volunteer opportunities available to help improve your community or brighten someone’s day. Or, you can also participate on your own time with some of these good deeds—many of which can easily become daily or monthly habits.

1. VOLUNTEER AT AN ANIMAL SHELTER.

Offer an hour out of your week to a local animal shelter. They usually need help walking dogs, grooming animals, and cleaning living spaces, among other things. Some shelters even let kids get in on the action by having them hone their reading skills by reading books to the animals, who appreciate the attention. No time to volunteer? Shelters always need pet food, toys, and other supplies if you’d prefer to make a donation.

2. DONATE UNUSED TOILETRIES.

Got extra toiletries? Maybe you’ve stashed away mini shampoos from hotel stays, or you stocked up the last time there was a good sale. Instead of letting those extras collect dust in your bathroom closet, donate them to homeless shelters or women’s shelters. Give your intended recipient a call first, though—some organizations only accept certain sizes.

3. PLANT PRODUCE FOR YOUR FOOD BANK.

Those of you with green thumbs can dedicate space in your garden to do good for others. Check with your local food banks to see what fresh produce they can accept, and then set aside some square footage—even just a row or a container—and give whatever grows to the food kitchen. Vegetables like carrots, peppers, onions, and tomatoes can go a long way in making a low-cost meal more nutritious.

4. GROW SOME EXTRA BLOOMS.

If you’re more inclined to grow flowers than veggies, you can do good with those, too. Plant a cutting garden, and take bouquets to hospitals and nursing homes to brighten someone’s day.

5. ADD ON TO YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL.

Many energy companies have programs that allow customers to make small donations while paying their bill that go to pay the energy bills of households that have trouble keeping the lights on and the house warm.

6. MULTIPLY YOUR DONATION—FOR FREE!

Many employers will match your charitable donations, usually to organizations that align with their own philosophies. Find out if your employer has a matching donation program—or ask if they’ll start one.

7. LEAVE GOOD READING MATERIAL FOR SOMEONE TO FIND.

I just shared a kind act for Give Your Favorite Book Away #giveabook #choosekindness https://t.co/ZfUdGJQn3s pic.twitter.com/DRUTIGFgwA

— Lit Up (@litupshow) October 7, 2016

You can make someone’s commute or lunch break far more interesting by leaving a good book for them to find. Attach a note with a brief recommendation (and an assurance that the book is meant to be taken and enjoyed) and, if you want to spread the literary love even more, participate in this Kindness initiative by posting your gift and encouraging your friends on social media to join in.

8. MULTITASK WHEN YOU GO ON WALKS.

The next time you head out for a relaxing stroll, take a bag with you and pick up litter and trash along your route. Not only will Mother Nature appreciate the effort, you’ll also make the next person’s walk that much more enjoyable.

9. MAKE YOUR EXERCISE CHARITABLE.

Do twice as much good while you’re on that walk. A free app called Charity Miles partners with companies that make charitable donations based on the distance you walk or run, which is tracked via the app. You can choose from a number of charities, including the National Park Foundation, the ASPCA, the Wounded Warrior Project, Habitat for Humanity, and many more.

10. BUY AN EXTRA ITEM WHEN YOU GROCERY SHOP.

Every time you make a stop at the grocery store, pick up an extra nonperishable item or two. At the end of the month, you’ll have a good stash to donate to your local food bank.

11. DRIVE A VETERAN.

Have a driver’s license and a little bit of free time? Volunteer to drive a veteran to appointments at your local VA hospital to get the treatments they need. And that’s just one of the ways you can help our military members—you can also donate frequent flyer miles, help train service dogs, and help build or modify homes for disabled veterans who need customized accommodations.

In 1903, Wind Cave—near Hot Springs, South Dakota—was the first cave to be designated a National Park. It’s currently the sixth-longest cave in the world, with more than 140 miles of explored passageways. But with several additional miles being discovered every year, it might not be long before Wind Cave surpasses Optymistychna Cave in the Ukraine (146.6 miles) and Sistema Ox Bel Ha in Mexico (159.8 miles) to reach the top four.

Due to its sheer size, there are a vast number of “rooms” in the cave, many with bizarre names: Andy’s Ice Box, Arm Pit, Bachelors Quarters, and the Bagel Ballroom, just to name a few. There’s a method to the madness, sort of: If you find a new room, you get to name it—and nearly anything goes. Here are the stories behind a few of the most interesting ones:

1. ANDY’S ICE BOX

Discovered on December 15, 1979, by Andy Flurkey, Norm Pace, and John Scheltens, Andy’s Ice Box is full of aragonite frostwork—delicate, needle-like growths of calcite that resemble frost creeping across a window. The room discovered by these three explorers is packed with the stuff, making it resemble a frosty freezer.

2. WHAT! YEAH!

If this sounds like a Lil’ Jon lyric to you, you’re absolutely correct. When Jason Walz, Jessie Mann, and Chris Dale found a chasm 30 feet deep, 20 feet wide, and 25 feet long, Lil’ Jon’s exclamations of “What! Yeah!” were the first words that came to mind.

3. WHAT THE HELL LAKE

Up until 1996, the place where What the Hell Lake is now had been completely dry. When Stan Allison discovered that the dry passage had suddenly become water-filled, he exclaimed, “What the hell?” The appearance of the lake prevented cavers from exploring significant sections of the passage until the water receded in 2004.

4. BACHELORS QUARTERS

The thin layer of dust and dirt that covers everything in this room resulted in this unflattering nickname.

5. BAGEL BALLROOM

When cavers found these two large rooms in 1987, they took a break to eat lunch. “To our surprise, everyone on the trip had brought sandwiches for lunch made on bagels (these are tough pieces of bread well suited to the harshness of being carried all day in a caving pack),” Jim Pisarowicz wrote in the official report. “The new rooms were thus named the Bagel Ballroom.” A hole in the floor that led to another room was dubbed “Bagel Hole,” and a large, connected gallery became “Bagel Bowl.”

6. NUDIST COLONY

Dave Schnute was surveying with famous cavers Herb and Jan Conn when they came across a room with a bunch of additional passageways and nooks to explore. Schnute declared that it was “more fun than a mosquito in a nudist colony.”

7. PANT PEELER

This small crawl space was named after explorer Randy Brown squeezed his way through—and it was such a tight fit, it peeled his pants and underwear down.

8. THE BEAUTY PARLOR

This area of the cave contains a red, sandy clay that was sold to women to wear as rouge in the 1890s. The National Park Service believes this room was named by the McDonald family, the family that first started developing the cave for tourism in 1890.

9. CAMPAIGN TRAIL

This walking passage was named on November 11, 2000—right in the middle of the Al Gore/George W. Bush election controversy.

10. DUNCAN ROOM

In 1989, Rachel Cox, a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) student involved in a mock search-and-rescue mission, actually got lost in Wind Cave. The park received a call from a psychic who said Cox would be found in a room with “Duncan” in the name. When Cox was found, 37 hours after she went missing, she was located in a room that hadn’t been named. To fulfill the psychic’s prediction, they dubbed it Duncan Room.

11. MRS. WILLIAMS WOMB

In 1985, NOLS student Geoff Williams was the first brave soul to lead the expedition into a small, tight spot. They named the area after his mother’s womb. Additionally, they named the tight crawl that led to the spot “Mrs. Williams Birth Canal.” We’re sure Mrs. Williams was flattered.

12. SPOOK ALLEY

On October 31, 2000, a group of cavers took an ABC World News Tonight crew on a surveying expedition. During this trip, the crew happened to discover a series of rooms where someone had left an old newspaper many years before. The newspaper was dated October 31, 1897—and the fact that a newspaper from a Halloween over a century prior was found on Halloween seemed pretty spooky.

Also worth mentioning: The Backstreet Boys, Vanilla Ice, NSYNC, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Phish, Darkwing Duck, the pop group Dream, Chris Farley, John Wayne, Pizza Hut, Miller beer, Pee-wee Herman, Yahoo!, and even the Lycos search engine have spots named after them within the cave.