Here’s Why We Call a Leg Cramp a Charley Horse

If you’re someone who gets charley horses, those tight balls of muscle that cramp in your leg, then you know how painful they can be. But what’s with the name charley horse, anyways? There’s got to be a reason behind such a strange name…

While the term’s etymology isn’t completely clear, experts believe it originated on the baseball field sometime in the 1880s.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

There is an 1887 article in the Democrat and Chronicle that states the phrase to be well-known to baseball players but not to the average person, and the Oakland Daily Evening Tribune reported that “nearly every sporting journal gives a different version as to how the term “charley horse” originated in baseball circles.”

They believed that the likeliest origin centered around John Wesley “Jack” Glasscock, a shortstop who had strained a tendon in his thigh and gone home to his farm to heal. There, he spent time with his father and a lame old horse called “Charley horse.” Upon seeing the similarities between the two, his father supposedly said, “Why, John, my boy, what is the matter; you go just like the old Charley horse?”

Others argue the phrase has nothing to do at all with an actual horse, but the fact that an injured player limping resembles a rocking horse or child riding aside a wooden horse.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The New Dickson Baseball Dictionary also recounts other theories, such as players from the Orioles (or possibly Cubs) going to the races and betting on a horse named Charlie who pulled up lame in the final stretch, only to have a similar injury happen to a player the following day.

Another suggestion is whether it could possibly relate to an old workhorse that pulled a roller across the infield. According to author Tim Considine, “old workhorses kept on the grounds of ballparks were called Charley. The movements of the injured stiff-legged ballplayers were likened to the labored plodding of these old horses, and the injury itself eventually became known as a ‘charley’ or ‘charley horse.’”

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Though no one knows for sure exactly where the turn of phrase comes from, it’s a pretty safe bet that you can thank a vintage ballplayer the next time you feel silly hopping around on one leg moaning about horses in the middle of the night.

Bonus points if you’re pregnant.

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Here’s Why So Many People Are Afraid of Clowns

Clowns are meant to make people smile and laugh – everything from their appearance to their act contributes to that exact goal – so why do so many people find them absolutely horrifying? Chances are you probably know someone who’s afraid of clowns (or are afraid of them yourself) and the slew of clown-themed scary movies and Halloween costumes goes to show that this phenomenon isn’t going away any time soon.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

But believe it or not, It is not to blame, nor are the terrifying spate of creepy clown sightings back in 2016 – those people are just playing off a common fear. It turns out that the fear could be emanating from collective human memory.

The history of the clown, according to Yale doctoral candidate Danielle Bainbridge, is related to the stereotype of the unsettling, outsider funny man, which dates back to the court jester. These men typically weren’t evil child murderers toting red balloons, but they didn’t fall within society’s normal hierarchy, either, and would have been considered untrustworthy outsiders among the “normal” folk.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

After that came the harlequins of the Middle Ages who performed in the Italian street theatre called “Commedia Dell’Arte”. Harlequin was actually the name of one of many stock characters. These performers weren’t intentionally scary, but their acts definitely weren’t for kids – their jokes were explicit and morally bankrupt, and their strange costumes were meant to make audiences slightly uncomfortable.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

From the 19th century into modernity, the white-faced, kid-friendly circus clowns have prevailed, but society as a whole hasn’t been able to shake the creepier associations from our past. If anything, films like It, Killer Clowns from Outer Space, and Poltergeist just prove that our ancestors may have passed along their fears and distrust through the centuries.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

I don’t know if that’s possible, but it certainly seems as if the past is whispering to a large number of modern day people that there’s good reason to head the other way when a grown person wearing big, floppy shoes and a red wig starts heading their way.

And history has a way of, you know. Repeating.

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You Can Drink Craft Beer on This Train as It Chugs Through the San Juan Mountains

Don’t get too excited just yet, because there’s (unsurprisingly) a waiting list.

But for those who really want a chance to ride the Durango Brew Train through the glorious Colorado mountains – with local craft brewers on board – it’s worth the wait.

Photo Credit: Michael Gabler

This authentic 1920s steam locomotive, operated by the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, departs Durango to wind through the Animas Valley. Dramatic views are guaranteed as the train runs hundreds of feet above the Animas River on the way to the spectacular Cascade Canyon.

Photo Credit: Durango

But that’s not really the highlight of the trip: the trip also has a full schedule of local brewers, like the Animas Brewing Company, pouring generous samples of everything from pale ales to the darkest stouts.

While they drink, passengers are entertained with a history of each brewery, and brewers also share the stories behind their particular beers. Home-brewers may even pick up some tips from the experts.

Once inside the forest, everyone disembarks for a delicious lunch, live music from local bands, and more excellent beer straight out of Durango. Some of the regulars include BREW, Steamworks Brewing and Ska Brewing, with more coming on-board every year.

The brew train only makes one or two trips each September, so put this one on your train list. If you don’t have a train list, make one. This is an expedition you don’t want to miss. Also…beer.

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The Story Behind Bloody Mary and Why We Think We See Stuff in Mirrors

Bloody Mary is more than a character. She’s a Halloween (or anytime) tradition amongst young people. You dare each other and egg your friends on until one of you is brave enough to hit the lights, stand in front of a mirror and chant “Bloody Mary” 13 times…

Photo Credit: iStock

Then you wait for the inevitable: for the spirit of the Bloody Mary to appear out of nowhere, kill you and your friends, and ruin your sleepover!

Okay, the murder part doesn’t actually happen, but you know you thought it might when you were a kid (as did I). The ritual is so impactful that different versions of the legend exist across the globe — sometimes centered around a woman named Mary Worth, sometimes involving the devil himself appearing.

It turns out that seeing things in the mirror really isn’t that strange after all. The longer you stare in the mirror, the more likely you are to see stuff that isn’t really there. This phenomenon can be blamed, in part, on what’s known as the Troxler effect. If you stare at the same object for a long time, your brain gets used to the image and the unchanging stimuli. What happens next is pretty incredible: your neurons cancel the information out, and whatever you’re staring at can start to appear blurry or distorted. Until you blink and look around, you’ll continue to see these unusual visions.

Photo Credit: Deviant Art,Skyberry-13

What’s more, if you stare into your own eyes in a mirror long enough, your face will begin to change shape.

Here’s a test for you. Stare at the plus sign in the center of the image below for 8 seconds.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Your brain probably tricked you and distorted your vision in a number of ways, possibly by making the colors in the image fade to gray. Live Science points out that this is actually a coping mechanism. “If you couldn’t ignore the steady hum of your computer monitor, the constant smell of your own body odor or the nose jutting out in front of your face, you’d never be able to focus on the important things — like whether your boss is standing right behind you,” the article explains.

The “strange face in the mirror” phenomenon, like Bloody Mary, is part of this as well. A 2010 experiment conducted by an Italian psychologist had people stare into a mirror for 10 minutes. 66% of the subjects reported seeing “huge deformations” of their face, and 48 % saw “fantastical and monstrous beings.”

Photo Credit: Unsplash,Taylor Smith

So maybe this is why so many people claim to have seen Bloody Mary in the mirror, and why the legend continues to frighten kids to this day. However, while origin of Bloody Mary is debated, but some believe it dates back to a real person — Queen Mary I from the 16th century, who was called Bloody Mary by her protestant enemies.

Others think the legend may be based on a different real person named Mary because varying legends give different versions of her name (Mary Worth, Mary Worthington, Mary Lou). Either way, one thing is for sure — kids will continue to play this spooky game forever, so let’s just hope Bloody Mary doesn’t get angry enough to come bursting through the mirror.

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If You’re Over 25 These 15 Facts Will Make You Feel Super Old

If you’re in your mid to late 20’s, chances are you’re still feeling pretty young, footloose, and fancy free — especially if you haven’t decided to have children yet! However, regardless of how young you think you are, I promise you, these 15 facts will have you checking the mirror for wrinkles.

#15. This year, kids born in the 2000s became adults.

Image Credit: Pixabay

Did your brain just implode?

#14. Spongebob Squarepants is so old he’s now part of the Nick at Nite lineup.

Image Credit: Nickelodeon

Yup, that’s when old people watch Nickelodeon.

#13. There are kids in high school who have never known a world without social media.

Image Credit: Pixabay

It’s kind of sad when you think about how your childhood probably didn’t revolve around the internet, or at least not to the same degree.

#12. Rookie of the Year is old enough to be in the process of a remake.

Image Credit: 20th Century Fox

I guess that makes it a classic. Who would’ve thunk it?

#11. Lindsay Lohan is now older than the actress who played her potential stepmother in The Parent Trap.

Image Credit: Disney

Chew on that for a minute.

#10. Likewise, the kids from Jurassic Park are now older than Laura Dern was when she filmed the movie.

Image Credit: Universal Pictures

That cannot be right.

#9. It’s been 18 years — an entire childhood — since the cast of the first Harry Potter movie was announced.

Image Credit: Warner Bros.

Another little boy living under the stairs could’ve had a whole other set of adventures in a magical universe in that time!

#8. Kids today have never lived in a world where iProducts haven’t existed.

Image Credit: Pixabay

But most of them have never heard of or seen an original iPod [screaming emoji].

#7. And while they might love Fortnite, they’ll never know the joy of handheld games like a GameBoy.

Image Credit: Pixabay

I mean, yeah, tablets are fancier, but nothing beats the simplicity of that square, grey box.

#6. Blink 182 is being played on classic rock stations.

Image Credit: Consequence of Sound.

You know, the stations we used to refer to as the “oldie” station and that played rock n’ roll from the 50s?

#5. The Phantom Menace was released in 1999, which means we’re just about as far from it as it was from the original Star Wars, released in 1977.

Image Credit: Disney

On the bright side, we can still remember a Star Wars universe in which The Phantom Menace didn’t exist.

#4. They could make a High School Musical 4 and have it take place at their 10 year reunion.

Image Credit: Disney

Idk why, but this one killed me.

#3. The 90s to them were the 70s for us.

Image Credit: Twitter

Our childhoods have been reduced to homecoming week themes.

#2. If someone wants to make a “vintage” movie, like The Wedding Singer was for us, it would be set in 2005.

Image Credit: New Line Cinema

That’s 13 years ago, friends.

#1. There are kids in high school who were born after both Elf and Shrek were released.

Image Credit: New Line Cinema

What would it be like to have never lived in a world without Will Ferrell equating Christmas?

No shame, people. Getting older is actually the best.

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30+ Art History Memes That Are Very Relatable

True art is timeless. And relatable. Case in point:

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h/t: Pizza Bottle

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Henry VIII Owned These 5+ Bizarre Objects

It doesn’t take a history degree to know that King Henry VIII of England was a few apples short of a full cart. In addition to imprisoning and sentencing to death several of his wives, his brain was literally being eaten away by syphilis, so perhaps it’s not all that surprising that he had a collection of peculiar things.

The 6 objects below are only some of the most bizarre pieces, so buckle up.

#6. An extra large codpiece

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Henry VIII popularized the Tudor fashion of wearing exaggerated codpieces, which were supposed to be symbols of a man’s virility and masculinity. Of course, the king had the biggest one of all — one roomy enough to be used as a pocket or to conceal a weapon, jewels, or other valuables (besides the obvious).

#5. A horned helmet

Photo Credit: Flickr.

The bespectacled, demon-faced Horned Helmet was a gift to Henry VIII from the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I in 1514. Court jester Will Somers took possession of it after Henry’s death in 1547 and likely earned some pretty awesome laughs because of it.

#4. A pair of football boots

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

In 1526, Henry VII commissioned a pair of leather football boots that would cost around $130 today. 14 years later, he banned football on the grounds that it incited riots. It didn’t stick, obviously, though that thing about the riots remains true.

#3. A “scavenger’s daughter”

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

This brutal instrument of torture was invented during Henry VIII’s reign and crushed its victims until they bled from the face. It’s basically the opposite idea of the more popular rack.

#2. A set of purple velvet bagpipes

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Henry VIII was actually a very talented musician — he played the organ, lute, flute and the virginal — an early form of harpsichord. A 1547 inventory lists among his instruments 20 recorders, 19 viols, 2 clavichords and 4 sets of bagpipes, which included the purple velvet set with ivory pipework.

#1. A marmoset

Photo Credit: Public Domain

Though not particularly concerned with the happiness of his many animals, Henry VIII nevertheless had a fondness for collecting them. He owned ferrets, hawks, falcons, canaries, nightingales and numerous dogs, along with more exotic pets like the marmoset he received as a gift in the 1530s.

 

Just a few tidbits to pull out at your next dinner party!

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These 12+ Facts About the Halloween Movie Franchise are Terrifyingly Informative

The new Halloween movie is getting rave reviews, which is impressive considering the franchise’s long history of corny sequels diminishing box office returns.

But there’s one thing you can’t deny: Michael Myers is one of the scariest, most infamous movie villains of all time. In honor of 40 years of terror, here are 15 frightful facts about one of the most iconic movie franchises out there haunting your dreams.

1. Success!

The original Halloween film, released in 1978, is one of the most successful independent films of all time. The budget was a mere $300,000, and it raked in $47 million at the box office.

2. The famous mask

Horror buffs know this, but non-weirdos might not. Michael Myers’ mask is actually a William Shatner/Captain Kirk mask. The props department bought the cheapest mask they could find, spray painted it white, stretched out the eyes, and messed up the hair. The result? A terrifying, iconic image.

3. A different title

Halloween was originally called The Babysitter Murders, but the small budget made Carpenter and his team decide to set the film in one day rather than over the course of several days.

4. Cameras

Director John Carpenter spent nearly half of his $300,000 budget on Panavision cameras so the original Halloween could be shot in widescreen. Carpenter and his crew had to get extremely creative to complete the rest of the film.

5. Fear meter

1978’s Halloween was shot out of order, so the actors often weren’t sure how scared they were supposed to be in a given scene. John Carpenter created a “fear meter” that showed Jamie Lee Curtis how frightened she was supposed to be during specific scenes.

6. Don’t bother with the sequels

The newest Halloween was written by David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, and Jeff Fradley as a direct sequel to the original film, not taking into account any of the films that followed the original 1978 classic.

7. Scream queens

All the girls in 1978 film were supposed to be teenagers, but only Jamie Lee Curtis was under 20 years old at the time. Curtis was 19, and her role as Laurie Strode cemented her role as a scream queen.

8. The mask: Take Two

The mask in Halloween II, released in 1981, is the same one from the original film. It looks different in the sequel for several reasons. The first is that the paint was peeling off because actor Nick Castle always put the mask in his pocket between takes during the original film. It looked yellow in Part II because producer Debra Hill kept the mask in her house between films and she was a smoker. Also,  a different actor played Michael Myers in Part II – Dick Warlock (what a name) took over the role from Nick Castle, and the two men had different shaped faces.

9. The morning after

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

Halloween II (1981) is the only film in the series not set on the actual day of Halloween. In that film, the chaos takes place the day after, on November 1.

10. Still creeped out

When Jamie Lee Curtis appeared in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later in 1998, she admitted that seeing Michael Myers on set still scared her.

11. Not a moneymaker

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989) is the lowest-grossing movie of the series.

12. Future star

Photo Credit: Dimension Films

Paul Rudd’s first film role was in 1995’s Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers. It wasn’t too much later that he became a star after appearing in Clueless.

13. Bangin’ it out

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) was written in only 11 hours. Writer Alan B. McElroy knew a writer’s strike was looming and he was determined to get the film written before the strike started.

14. That fall look

Surprisingly, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers was the only film in the series filmed entirely in the fall. Movie magic!

15. No more John

John Carpenter wrote a treatment for Halloween 4, but the producers were looking for a standard, by-the-book slasher film, and they weren’t interested in Carpenter’s take on the story. Because his script was thrown out, Carpenter decided he didn’t want anything to do with Part 4, which made it the first Halloween movie he wasn’t involved with.

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The “Half-House of Toronto” Still Stands Strong After All These Years

A string of Victorian row houses went up on St. Patrick Street in the center of Toronto between the years 1890 and 1893. Each one was an identical, connected home and they were numbered 52 1/2, 54, 54 1/2, 56, 58, and 60.

Today, just 1 remains – 54 1/2 St. Patrick Street – and it turns out it was aptly numbered, since it’s standing as “half” a house.

Photo Credit: Google Maps

In the 5 decades between when the houses were built and the 1930s, developers were keen on obtaining the buildings, and used aggressive tactics – one resident told the local newspaper he had received upward of 300 requests in a year.

One by one people gave in and the houses were demolished to make room for “progress,” until only the Valkos family at 54 1/2 remained. And they weren’t going anywhere.

That fact didn’t stop the developers who had bought the rest of the row – they tore down all of the surrounding (and connected) properties until only 54 1/2 remained standing, looking as if a whole house had been cut in two.

Photo Credit: Google Maps

The actual process of disconnecting the homes from 54 1/2 was a dangerous undertaking – load-bearing walls connected bedrooms, and a single miscalculation could have caused the Half House to tumble along with the rest. Though it remained standing, the owner at the time of the demolition (Emily Brown, the Valkoses daughter and her husband) complained to city officials about seeping rain water, insulation, and the unfinished appearance of the outside of their home.

Emily moved into a nursing home in 2012, selling the property to Albert Zikovitz, who worked in an adjacent office building, before leaving her childhood home.

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Today, the building is privately owned and vacant, a remnant from a different time. Valued at over $650,000, the Half House of Toronto has been standing next to a housing project since 1975, and it doesn’t seem as if that will be changing anytime soon – if ever.

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These 7 Facts About a Variety of Topics are Absolutely Fascinating

Bob Ross, a house modeled after a famous TV show, and the origin of the word “dude.” These are just a few things you’ll learn in this wonderful fact set.

Read on and fill up that brain of yours with some sweet facts!

1. Duuuuuude…

Photo Credit: did you know?

2. I’d live here

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3. Age gaps

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4. Sacrifice

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5. Bob was the best

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6. Spy cats

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7. Brilliant

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