Category: Interesting

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People Share The Best Trivial Facts They’ve Picked Up On The Job

Random knowledge is always being thrown at us and there are some things we’d never hear about if not for our jobs.

The workplace can be one of the best places to learn and thrive.

Case in point, I learn everyday from reading threads like this. I gather knowledge about science, geography, humanity, murder—the list is endless.

It can be useful and useless all at once. And that’s fun.

Redditor HugSized wanted to discuss all of the random knowledge many of us pick up in the workplace.

They asked:

“What trivial fact do you know only because of your job?”

Let’s get ready for Jeopardy…

A Special Time of Season

“The reason many TV shows have ‘holiday special’ episodes is because TV viewership is very low the week of Christmas but if they call it a special they don’t need to include it when they calculate their average ratings for the season.”

“Also the day Americans watch the least amount of TV is the 4th of July.”  ~ thisisanewusername57

Inch by inch by inch…

“Tulips will continue to grow, on average, two inches more after they’ve been cut. Generally not while they’re in cold storage, but once they’re in a warmer environment.” 

“Usually the entire flower will get bigger. They will grow in length, but also as the petals open the petals will become larger as well.”

“Taking them out of cold storage will make them continue to grow, and do they!”

“I think it’s the cells becoming larger as they get warmer. Like they expand and contract with temperature and light.”

“A lot of flowers will open in light and close in dark. There is a point of no return.” ~ marefo

“As someone who worked in floral making arrangements for a while, tulips have become my least favorite flower to work with.”

“Those flimsy ass stems that just flop over because they’re so top heavy, and since they tend to grow at different rates, it is hard to use them in arrangements.”

“Plus the soil is always packed into their leaves, leading to dirty water if you happen to miss a spot when cleaning them.”   ~ amugnai

Buying. Selling. For a bit. 

“The average length of a Real Estate Agent’s career is about four months.”  ~ Bunktavious

“I lasted three years. I didn’t have the money to pay the Realtor fee at the time or the car to impress.”

“Then I moved out of town, got divorced, spent a whole year broke before I was back on my feet, with other 9-5 entry level positions.”

“I’ve wanted to get back into it but with such a bad market where I live and the necessity to make money asap, it is a hard decision.”  ~ LLL84

Better to Breathe

“Babies born vaginally tend to have less respiratory distress than babies via c-section of the same gestational age because the squeeze through the birth canal helps get amniotic fluid out of their lungs.”  ~J ohnnytucf

“This saved my nephew.”

“He would have died if delivered cesarean but being born vaginally, the squeeze pushed his intestines back through the hole in his diaphragm and into his abdomen allowing his lungs to expand.”  ~ neinta

“Also the sudden change from chilling in their own pee to suddenly being squeezed, relatively slowly, through a very small space causes a release of stress hormones which also help absorb fluid in the lungs as well as triggering breathing.”

“Babies born through C-section don’t get as much of that stress.”  ~ kjhwkejhkhdsfkjhsdkf

Shopping in Secret

“In the state of Nevada, only licensed private investigators are allowed to work as mystery shoppers.”  ~ cattemonstre

“I had a secret shopper twice in a row.”

“He was making sure we checked IDs. I asked for his ID when he ordered, gave me a green card indicating I passed, I gave that to my manager, started talking to him.”

“Saw him again the next month, said hello and just asked for his ID before he said anything.”

“He just smiled again, gave me another green card and I bought him an appetizer so he could just sit and relax a bit.”  ~ illgot

“Based on my experience, I think mystery shopping companies that operate in Nevada recruit current PIs to do mystery shopping work on the side, rather than encouraging aspiring shoppers to get licensed.”

“The locations being shopped also have somewhat higher security needs (stores and restaurants in casinos, etc.), so that might have something to do with it.”  ~ cattemonstre

For the price of ink…

“You know those vintage looking shirts at the store that are distressed on the print. It saves the company a ton of money on ink costs.”

“My boss says that trend is what made him a millionaire.”  ~ PlopsMcgoo

“Also makes it easier to print/less waste.”

“Didn’t get solid pressure all the way through the push? No problem, it’s distressed. Didn’t flood the screen fully in one spot?”

“It’s ok, distressed. Pretty much any error is easily hidden in a distressed design.”

“When you need crisp, sharp lines is where errors become majorly obvious and any error can mean recording and printing a new shirt.”  ~r edebekadia

Gimme your grade…

“The most common type of stainless steel is grade 304. The second most common is grade 316, which is used for food and surgical purposes.”  ~ mycatiswatchingyou

“Most common because it’s the cheapest grade of stainless steel, 316 has higher quantities of more expensive elements, 321 more so.”

“You can then kick it up a notch and look at Duplex and Super Duplex stainless steels if you have the budget and the need.”  ~ KarmannosaurusRex

Food Prep Areas

“Ground moles have kitchens just like us!”

“They will paralyze earth worms (their primary food source) by biting its head and will drag the worms to a designated burrow where they store the bodies to save for later.”  ~ GraeBabe

I’lll just take two of these…

“So many companies will let you walk in say ‘I’m with the computer company’ and walk out with a computer.” ~ SirPasta117

“I’ve seen this work at a tech company. Had more than a dozen developers hand their laptops over to a random guy with a cart.”

“I’m from IT doing a laptop upgrade, here to collect the old ones”

“From the security footage, one of the devs ran after the guy to stop him… to hand over the charger that goes with the laptop.”

“We only found out when we started getting angry calls a few hours later from developers demanding to know how long the replacement was going to take.”  ~J uan_Golt

Head Held High! Moooo!

“Cows have a tendon running down the back of their necks that holds their head up.”

“It’s called a paddy whack and you can dry it out and give it to dogs like a rawhide bone.”

“That’s the source of Knick knack paddywhack, give a dog a bone.”  ~ ellipses1

Well that is a ton to process. I don’t know if I’ll ever make an episode of Jeopardy! but it’s good to have knowledge tucked away.

It can be fun to just blurt out random facts at a party.

You know when we do, people might be inspired to follow up in research. And then we’re all learning.

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People Share The Best Facts About Language That No One Seems To Know

Language may seem like a pretty boring subject—we all had to study it throughout our school years, after all.

But languages are way weirder—and way cooler—than you might think.

Redditor FamousTeam90 asked:

“What is a fun language fact you know?”

Italian Is Newer And Older Than You Might Think

“The official Italian language is both new and old. It is based on an old dialect that was only adopted by the Italian state after unification in the late 1800’s.”

“It’s based on a literary language spoken by upper class Tuscans in 11th-12th 13th century. Most regions in Italy still speak their own dialect and the official Italian taught in schools.”

“Here’s a brief history for the curious.” –TrevArts

“My mother’s grandparents immigrated to the US from northern Italy around the turn of the 20th century. They apparently didn’t speak standard Italian, they spoke Lombard, which is a funky looking language/dialect. My mom said her grandparents kind of cut off the end of words like the French do.” -SagiTsukiko

“My grandparents originally lived near Napoli and spoke Neapolitan. Compared to standard Italian a lot of the pronunciations are totally different. My mother learned it from her parents and when we went to Italy to visit relatives who didn’t immigrate she got comments from people on how she spoke the old language instead of the new one.” -PrivateVasili

Finnish Has A Lot Of Homophones

“The Finnish phrase ‘kuusi palaa’ can be understood in 9 different ways:

“Six pieces / Six of them return / Six of them are on fire / The number six returns / The number six is on fire / A spruce is on fire / A spruce returns / Your moon is on fire / Your moon returns”

“A piece = pala / (multiple) pieces = palaa / A moon = kuu / Your moon = kuusi / A spruce = kuusi / Six = kuusi / To be on fire = palaa / To return = palata / Return(s) = palaa” -InfamousChibi

“‘How many do you want?’ ‘Kuusi palaa.’ ‘My moon is what?’” –joha130

English Is Changing

“We think of English, particularly American English, as becoming more homogeneous over time (usually attributed to the prevalence of national-level media), but in fact, the fastest vowel shift in the history of the English language is currently underway. It’s called the Northern Cities Shift, and is taking place from Chicago to upstate New York.” -HungryLikeTheWolf99

“The pronunciation of short vowels have shifted from their common sound, for example short o is now pronounced as short a, so the word block sounds more like black. It is happening around the great lakes and linguists aren’t sure why it has happened.” -maryxchristmas

“This short video shows people who demonstrate the accent but were filmed for other reasons (i.e. they were not trying to accentuate the Northern Cities Vowel Shift).”

“Edit: I wanted to add this video as well. It does a good job of actually explaining the phenomenon.” -Cat_Man_Dew

German Elements Can Be A Bit Strange

“Sauerstoffe, the German word for oxygen, literally translates to ‘sour material’.” -PersonWhoExists50306

“This isn’t the only weird element name in German.”

“Hydrogen = Wasserstoff = ‘Water stuff’”

“Nitrogen = Stickstoff = ‘Choke stuff’”

“Carbon = Kohlenstoff = ‘Coal stuff’” -GeneralDarian

“‘Oxygen’ means acid forming. Acids taste sour.” –GozerDGozerian

Not All Medical Terms Are Latin

“Many people think that the medical names for organs of the body are derived from Latin, but only the muscles and bones are. For example, ‘gluteus maximus’ is Latin for biggest muscle. But, ‘pulmonary’ is derived from the Greek, since it is not a muscle (i.e. pertaining to the lungs).” -Ex_Nihil

Fruity Confusion

“In French, grape is ‘raisin’ and raisin is ‘raisin sec’ (which roughly translates to ‘dry grape’).”

“F**ked me up as a child.” -_aft3rlif3_

“My parents always interchanged French and English, but would only use raisin for the dry type and I never knew if I was getting grapes or raisins.” -notyetcommitteds2

ASL Is Quite Complex

“American Sign Language (ASL) is one of many signed languages around the world and has very little relation to the English language.”

“Also, when confronted with a proper noun, name or a concept that needs to be clarified because of the lack of a sign, we use fingerspelling. While you might think this is like speaking the letters of a name, signers spell so quickly that you aren’t supposed to catch every letter, just notice the general shape of the word as it’s spelled.”

“Some signs for ‘bank”dog’ and ‘what’ are fingerspelled so hurriedly that you omit a letter or two, leaving a quick motion in place of what would have been B-A-N-K.”

“Fingerspelling in general is bananas. Watch a Deaf person spell their own name (especially something long like Josephine) and you’ll see what I mean. It’s probably the toughest part of the language to learn since it’s nearly all intuitive.” -ICantHearYoo

Why Pineapple?

“Pineapple is some variation of ‘ananas’ in most languages…except English” -yeEEeEeeEeee3eeeeEet

“In Mexican Spanish, pineapple is piña, while in most other varieties it’s anana” -ThePeasantKingM

“It’s ananas in Kannada, a smaller language of a state of India. So weird, considering I doubt that there is any shared roots with other languages.” -Redditor

“Its ananas in Marathi too. I think it is that for PIE [Proto-Indo-European] root languages. Kannada isn’t one but maybe interacting with Sanskrit and other Indo-Aryan language probably gave it ananas.” -AdiSoldier245

Arabeezy

“When people type Arabic using Latin letters, they substitute some numbers for letters because they look similar. It’s commonly called “Arabeezy” as a portmanteau of the Arabic word for English, Engleezy, and Arabic. Examples include ew3adni, 2ool, 7abibi, 3li, 6arab. So sometimes you’ll see sentences like, ‘Eh a5bar sho3’lak?’ and wonder if their cat jumped on their keyboard.” -H0use0fpwncakes

“Been learning Arabic for two years and I had no idea the numbers were chosen because they looked like the letter, I just thought it was because English had no equivalent for that Arabic letter so we used numbers. This makes much more sense haha” -laika_pushinka

Don’t Interrupt

“You can’t really interrupt someone who use a language that places the verb at the end of the sentence because you won’t understand what he wants unless he’s finished” -OmarAdelX

“I mean to a certain extent. Japanese is that type of language but some sentences are even made not to be finished.. You don’t need the verb always.” -elrulestheworld

“Sure you can…if you know what they are going to say (context). Source – speak Japanese. People interrupt all the time.” -bless_your-heart-

“I’ve always wondered how translators work with this?”

“Like in German, for example, where you place the verb at the end.”

“For example, ‘I want to run quickly through the green grass.’ is ‘Ich möchte schnell durch das grüne Gras rennen.’”

“If someone was translating that it would seem like they’d hear ‘I want to quickly through the green grass run,’ so how do they know it’s going to be run?” -liamemsa

“Interpreter here, though in Spanish not German, but Spanish works the same way where I have to untangle the sentence to get it to make sense in English. When a client is talking, I usually wait for them to finish the thought before rendering it in the other language. This is called consecutive interpreting, one person talks, stops, and lets me do my thing. The other form, simultaneous, is when one person talks and once I can’t remember any more I start talking too, taking in info while I’m actively interpreting. Most of us don’t work in this mode often, unless you’re interpreting a conference or something. Most interpreter’s working memory is 4 ish sentences, so we know what you said and we just flip it around as we go. We also take notes depending on the type of session. It takes practice and a very high degree of fluency, but I honestly don’t think about the grammar much anymore. I’m trying to find the vocabulary that will get the message across best or remember a medical term.” -GrayGhoast

Language is even more fascinating than a lot of people think. Even if you take your native language for granted, there are probably a whole lot of really cool things you don’t know about it yet.

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Enjoy These Pics of Wonderfully Unusual Cute Pets

Genetics are pretty incredible.

Even within just one type of animal, the variation can be vast. And what’s more, there’s no limit to it. That’s how evolution works, after all.

Whether through natural selection or purposeful breeding, we’re getting new kinds of lovable doggos and kittens and other cuddly creatures all the time. And each is unique.

Let’s celebrate some notable critters here, via the good folks on Reddit.

10. Just browsing

He looks like he’s got a secret to tell me, and I can’t wait to hear it.

This dog I met with a single eyebrow from rarepuppers

9. The eyes have it

You got some kind of wisdom up in the noggin, kitty?

My boy’s right eye darken each day while left eye looses its pigment from cats

8. Good gurrrlll

She looks like she got into a bag of flour or something.

Good gurrrlll is now cookies and cream. 1.5 year difference from rarepuppers

7. Old and grey

But only in that one little spot.

This old cat only has grey ears from mildlyinteresting

6. Never forget

The sad thing is that he’ll never know.

My dog’s marking resembles an elephant from mildlyinteresting

5. Bean counters

We’re gonna be here a while.

Eggleston has some extra toes. from aww

4. Blue/green

Ironically two colors that dogs have some trouble differentiating.

My dog Basil has one perfect blue/green split eye from rarepuppers

3. Can you see the pattern?

When you finally stop being lazy and refill the printer ink.

Her pattern finally came through! from cats

2. Sanoi

Have you heard the good news? She has.

This my new pupper Sanoi! She’s about 14 weeks old and can’t figure out what to do with her ears from rarepuppers

1. The bright spot

Dang, pup, eat something why don’tcha.

My dogs Achilles are translucent in the sun. from mildlyinteresting

There’s really nothing better than the love of a good pet. And whether or not they have any distinguishing physical marks that others would notice, they’re always unique and perfect in our hearts. And that’s really what counts.

What is your pet like? Do they have any special features?

Tell us all about them in the comments, please. Spare no detail.

The post Enjoy These Pics of Wonderfully Unusual Cute Pets appeared first on UberFacts.

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These Pets Are Rocking Their Own Unique Looks

Have you ever read Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking work The Origin of Species?

I have. Well, some of it anyway. Honestly, it’s very dense and not really written for lay people like me, so what I get out of it is that birds need better beaks sometimes and they can get them because evolution does a bunch of mix ups with the bodies and whatnot and some of the new things stay and other ones go.

But if you don’t feel up to delving into a giant scientific tome like that, maybe you’d just prefer to see some adorable instances of genetic variation via these wonderful pets found on Reddit.

I think even Darwin himself would approve of that kind of education.

10. Meet Frankie

He looks like he’s trying to pick up some transmissions from space and I’m here for it.

Frankie was born with four ears and an eye deformity but he’s still purrfect from aww

9. A perfect circle

I think his first album was better.

My dog has a spot that is a near perfect circle. from mildlyinteresting

8. Hi there, Milo

Never mistrust him, he definitely nose what’s up.

This is milo, he has two noses from rarepuppers

7. Heart on my sleeve

She’s absolutely perfect.

My cat has a heart paw. from mildlyinteresting

6. Boots with the fur

(With the fuuuur)

My apple bottomed girl from aww

5. A mighty roar

I’d say his bark is worse than his bite, but he no bark.

Having a cat with no teeth makes for the funniest play biting! from cats

4. Running circles

I feel adorably intimidated right now.

My sister’s puppy has a unique fur pattern that makes it look like she has glasses from aww

3. Dirt

A fitting name for what looks to be a very good boi.

This is Dirt, his coloration makes him look like a dirty boy. But we still love him from cats

2. The brows

When you got it, flaunt it.

Very rare eyebrow pup she knows she’s on fleek from rarepuppers

1. What a mix!

The possibilities are endless.

german shepherd, timberwolf, and catahoula! cutiepie Ares says hello! from rarepuppers

So many different kinds of puppies and kitties to love, so little time to do it.

What’s your pet like? Do they have any unique features?

Tell us all about them in the comments.

The post These Pets Are Rocking Their Own Unique Looks appeared first on UberFacts.

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People Talk About Kids’ Movies That Are Actually Dark and Intense

I’m gonna go on the record here: Old Yeller scarred me as a child and I still haven’t forgotten about it.

And I stand by my belief that it’s one of the saddest movies I’ve ever seen in my whole life.

Why do so many movies geared towards kids have to be so dark?

Folks on AskReddit talked about the kids’ movies and TV shows that are actually pretty disturbing.

Let’s get weird!

1. Oh, boy…

“Watership Down was one I watched when I was likely 5 or 6.

It was way worse than I expected.

I don’t know that I have watched it since.”

2. Horrified.

“The Neverending Story .

I showed it to a bunch of preteens a couple years ago and they were far more horrified by the all-egg smoothie Bastian’s dad makes at the beginning of the movie than they were by anything else.”

3. Noir-ish.

“Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is the defining movie of this subgenre.

It makes a lot more sense once you understand film noir, but what 8 year old is going to pick up on that?

Then the movie is seen purely for the cartoon characters, and this movie is just not about cartoon characters.”

4. Left an impression.

“Toy Story 2 is f**ked up.

Especially the part where Jessie gets left in a box on a hill. Made me scared to give away my toys or even give them all less than equal attention for years, even though I was pretty sure they weren’t sentient.”

5. Have you seen it?

“Disney’s 1979 sci-fi film The Black Hole. It was the first film from Disney to receive a PG rating. I saw this movie in the theater when it was new. I had just turned eight years old.

It’s pretty dark, and I remember the ending was kinda creepy but I wasn’t traumatized by it or anything. It was probably fine for my age but I grew up in a different era. These days it would likely be PG-13.”

6. Messed up.

“The Princess and the Frog.

A character d**s (won’t spoil it) and it’s a very clear d**th. Another is implied to be k**led. Demons/ghosts, voodoo, guns and the implication that the frog will be used as a lifelong blood bag.

The movie is great. I feel like Tiana is an inspirational character for young girls, but I’m not showing this to a single digit age child.”

7. Don’t go in the house!

“Monster House always freaked me the hell out as a kid.

It could just be because I was always uncomfortable with any sort of ghosty claymation-looking movies, but it always made me really uncomfortable.”

8. Not for kids.

“Rango.

Incredible movie, but not for kids. It is animated though.

Also, Ratatouille. Not so much dark but I feel like it connects with people who are in there late-teens/20’s.”

9. Adult themes.

“Mrs. Doubtfire – one of my favorite movies that I find highly enjoyable as an adult.

Robin Williams is the star of the movie, and he’s wearing a disguise, but, it’s loaded with adult humor and themes. Maybe some kids are wise to what’s happening, but, it would be real easy to love Daniel while despising Miranda.

There is even a set of deleted scenes with Daniel getting revenge on the neighbor who called the police on the birthday party, but, even if she was a bit nosy, he was in violation for bringing in animals from a petting zoo, and being excessively loud.

Apparently, the original idea was to have Daniel and Miranda get back together too, but, Robin Williams and Sally Field fought against that ending, because it could give kids who watch it a sense of false hope.”

10. Freaked out.

“Beetlejuice.

Maybe debatable as a kid’s movie but it did have a PG rating and was later made into an after school cartoon series.

It has it all though, decapitated heads, a woman emanating smoke from her neck hole, depictions of s**cide and one F-bomb.”

11. What am I looking at?

“The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987)

The KIDS are disturbing looking puppets.”

12. Avoid at all costs.

“Grave of the Fireflies.

It was originally released as a double feature with My Neighbor Totoro as the studio wasn’t sure that Totoro would do well. But yeah, that movie was released for kids.

That first double screening must have been disturbing as all hell.”

13. Nightmares.

“Little Nemo’s Adventures in Slumberland

I had a cousin who was OBSESSED as a child so we watched it a lot.

I still have nightmares about that creepy as black fog overtaking everything around me.”

14. Scary.

“One word…Coraline.

The buttons were creepy, yes. But the creepy thing I got from that movie was how easy it was for people to prey on children. Coraline’s parents weren’t terrible, but they were preoccupied–with things not her.

This caused them to do what they saw as little actions (ignoring her when she wants to play, telling her to go entertain herself, rejecting her attempts to stand out, etc. etc.) that, to her, seemed like really big big actions.

So from her perspective, she’s being wronged and neglected when she’s in a new unfamiliar place far from her old friends and she’s lonely and (as she sees it) feeling unwanted… whilst her parents are too busy to notice. Then this Other shows up–her Other Mother. A creepy stranger who’s willing to fulfill all those roles Coraline’s own parents won’t.

This predatory figure dotes on her, plays with her, gives her gifts and attention and positive feedback–and because of this, she consistently ignores all the little signs that scream GET OUT, CORALINE! She ignores them because she’s young and naive and just desperately wants to be loved and given attention, even at the expense of her own safety.

By the time she realizes she has to get out, it’s too late–she’s trapped, and the Other is willing to do anything to get what it wants from Coraline.

I think Coraline is a cautionary tale for parents and children alike–how the way adults and kids perceive the world is very different, and how predatory people are so very good at exploiting that.”

Okay, now it’s your turn to speak up.

In the comments, tell us which kids’ movies and TV shows creep you out.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The post People Talk About Kids’ Movies That Are Actually Dark and Intense appeared first on UberFacts.

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It’s About Time to Normalize Therapy for Men

These days we could probably all use some therapy.

Life is hard, and it seems like people who do have a therapist tend to find the experience very helpful.

Getting started can be difficult though: making that first phone call, finding the right person that you connect with.

It can be daunting.

And in general, men are a lot less likely to seek out therapy as a coping mechanism than women are.

That doesn’t mean they need it any less.

Image credit: Guillaume de Germain via Unsplash

In fact, the stigma surrounding men and therapy has become something of a joke on social media, with users posting all the things men will “literally” do instead of therapy:

It’s a funny sort of commentary on current events:

But all jokes aside, it can be a real problem.

As LifeHacker explains:

The idea that men must be strong in the face of mental distress is deeply entrenched, leading to higher rates of substance abuse, homicide, suicide, and a lower life expectancy than women in the United States and beyond.

Instead, men are often left drifting, finding their own ways to cope.

People have all kinds of reasons for seeking or not seeking professional help.

A person with anxiety, for example, may be too anxious to reach out.

Reluctance to seek mental health assistance can affect anyone, of any age or gender.

So why the emphasis on the gender gap? Because some of them are culturally ingrained.

A lot of men’s reservations about therapy today are rooted in archaic notions of masculinity. The outdated conventional wisdom hoists men up as paragons of emotional stability, who are expected to be wage-winners and protectors of the family. That notion endures, coloring the aversion that lots of men have to talking about their problems in present day.

The way I see it, men are conditioned to believe that not being self-reliant is a sign of weakness. Women, on the other hand, are taught that being self-reliant is a display of strength. It’s a subtle nuance, but an important one.

It means that for men, even the slightest hint that you might not be able to do it on your own, asking for help, is a sign of weakness. Whereas for women, advocating for yourself, asking for help when needed, is seen as contributing to your own self-reliance, and therefore to your strength.

So what’s the solution? London journalist Edward Clowes explained it perfectly to LifeHacker:

“The framing of therapy for men should never be about being broken and needing fixing.

Men should look at therapy the same way they look at any other act of self-improvement.

Like going to the gym but for your mental health, instead of your physical health.”

Well said!

Image credit: Brooke Cagle via Unsplash

And that’s just it. We all need training and conditioning to be stronger. We all need a little help sometimes. There’s no shame asking for it.

What do you think? Should we normalize therapy for all, including men?

Tell us in the comments.

The post It’s About Time to Normalize Therapy for Men appeared first on UberFacts.

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People Shared Their Ode to Cool Libraries

Libraries are amazing, and they rarely get the credit they deserve.

My library for sure got me through the pandemic with a steady supply of ebooks.

They do so much for the most under-served areas of our communities every day.

So it was great to see Buzzfeed do a roundup of Reddit posts from the r/mildlyinteresting subreddit, entirely dedicated to library awesome-sauce!

Here are 18 of the most exciting things going on in libraries these days.

1. Cone of Silence

Keeping people quiet has always been an uphill battle for librarians, especially in a world of group projects and shared technology.

Cell phones just add to the trouble because people don’t always police their own etiquette and when you can be reached anywhere, you WILL be reached anywhere.

Now you can take your calls in private!

My local library has vault you can go into to talk on your phone. from mildlyinteresting

2. Self Monitoring

Like I said – group projects.

Sometimes it’s necessary to talk in the library.

And that’s okay, just don’t be screaming about it.

For those who need a little help with keeping an eye on their volume, technology can help!

Click on the image to see the full effect!

My school’s library has noise-level guides that change colour when it gets too loud from mildlyinteresting

3. Secret Complaint Line

Neighbor’s not monitoring their own volume?

Loud cell phone conversations interrupting your flow?

You don’t have to handle it yourself, and this library doesn’t expect you too.

This sign at my University with the number for the library police. from mildlyinteresting

4. When All Else Fails

Grab a pair of ear plugs while you wait for the librarian to sort the loudmouths out.

My library gives out earplugs on the silent floor from mildlyinteresting

5. Stools For All

Libraries are more than just a quiet place to work in solitude these days.

Now, instead of having to find a workroom with enough space for your group, you can just pull up a chair from anywhere.

Take one literally right off the wall!

My university library has a wall where you can quite literally take a seat from mildlyinteresting

6. Try It Before You Buy It

Or maybe you are working alone, but you need to be moving around.

Well now you can!

I have always wanted to try a standing desk or a treadmill desk, but I couldn’t quite commit.

Being able to do this once in awhile, throughout a long writing day, would be amazing.

Basement floor of my campus library has a treadmill with a computer, so you can exercise & study at the same time. from mildlyinteresting

7. Up-Cycle Aesthetics

When you’re tired of working and walking, this library invites you to put your feet up–on old discarded books!

Had a volunteer help me make these stools out of our discarded books for new library seating. from mildlyinteresting

8. Bee-Hive Yourself

If you need a break from working, mosey on down to the children’s section and check out this incredible living bee exhibit!

My local library has bee hive in the kids section, with a tube that leads to the outside. from mildlyinteresting

9. Bottoms Up

Libraries are changing, but they still have a great selection of books to check out.

They’re also finding unique ways to get books into the hands of eager readers.

Like turning the books on the lower shelves so that you can read the spines without doing squats.

The library places the books on the lower shelves on their sides so the titles are easier to read. from mildlyinteresting

10. Don’t @ Me

Librarians are also the best at coming up with clever book display ideas.

All to help books find readers, and readers find books.

When libraries troll their patrons. from pics

11. Spy On Your Neighbors

What better way to find your next big read than to check out what other people are reading too?

Word of mouth always was the best way to find the next great thing.

Library has "Recently Returned" section so you can see what other people have been reading from mildlyinteresting

12. LibGuides to Tough Topics

They’re sensitive to the fact that sometimes you need a book you don’t want to ask for, and not everyone knows how to use the catalog to find it on their own.

This library has a directory for topics people might be embarrassed to ask for. from mildlyinteresting

13. Surprise Me

For when you just don’t know what you WANT, but you know what you LIKE.

Because sometimes you don’t have the time or brain space to decide.

Let a librarian do it for you.

At my library you can pick up bags of books in a certain genre without knowing what those books are from mildlyinteresting

14. Marathon Movie Night

Sometimes you want to have a marathon, but you can’t get all the things.

Well now you can.

This library has grouped them together into marathon kits so you can binge to your heart’s content.

My library loans out themed "Binge Boxes" from mildlyinteresting

15. Book 1A Please

Available 24-7, book vending machines really are a thing now.

They’re quick, easy, convenient, and freaking brilliant!

This train station has a library book vending machine from mildlyinteresting

16. Rolling Library

If you thought the book vending machine was cool, check this out.

Libraries have always been great about meeting people where they are.

Remember book mobiles?

Well now there are libraries built into actual subway trains! BECAUSE WHY NOT?

This subway car in Seoul has a mini library from mildlyinteresting

17. Not Only Books

I’ve heard of libraries that will let you check out art prints to hang on your wall.

Well this library has figured out a cool niche.

After all, how many times is your kid going to want the Darth Vader birthday cake?

At this library in Philadelphia you can rent cake pans from mildlyinteresting

18. It All Adds Up

The value of libraries is continually debated and called into question.

You can’t put a number on many of the services, like story time for the kids and reading groups and meeting spaces and community events.

But some libraries are fighting back, finding ways to remind us just how much they are worth, when it IS quantifiable.

Amazing!

My library receipt shows how much money I’ve saved. from mildlyinteresting

I love these posts, and I think maybe “cool library things” need a dedicated subreddit all their own.

Everyone has a library story. Share yours in the comments!

The post People Shared Their Ode to Cool Libraries appeared first on UberFacts.

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People Shared Their Ode to Cool Libraries

Libraries are amazing, and they rarely get the credit they deserve.

My library for sure got me through the pandemic with a steady supply of ebooks.

They do so much for the most under-served areas of our communities every day.

So it was great to see Buzzfeed do a roundup of Reddit posts from the r/mildlyinteresting subreddit, entirely dedicated to library awesome-sauce!

Here are 18 of the most exciting things going on in libraries these days.

1. Cone of Silence

Keeping people quiet has always been an uphill battle for librarians, especially in a world of group projects and shared technology.

Cell phones just add to the trouble because people don’t always police their own etiquette and when you can be reached anywhere, you WILL be reached anywhere.

Now you can take your calls in private!

My local library has vault you can go into to talk on your phone. from mildlyinteresting

2. Self Monitoring

Like I said – group projects.

Sometimes it’s necessary to talk in the library.

And that’s okay, just don’t be screaming about it.

For those who need a little help with keeping an eye on their volume, technology can help!

Click on the image to see the full effect!

My school’s library has noise-level guides that change colour when it gets too loud from mildlyinteresting

3. Secret Complaint Line

Neighbor’s not monitoring their own volume?

Loud cell phone conversations interrupting your flow?

You don’t have to handle it yourself, and this library doesn’t expect you too.

This sign at my University with the number for the library police. from mildlyinteresting

4. When All Else Fails

Grab a pair of ear plugs while you wait for the librarian to sort the loudmouths out.

My library gives out earplugs on the silent floor from mildlyinteresting

5. Stools For All

Libraries are more than just a quiet place to work in solitude these days.

Now, instead of having to find a workroom with enough space for your group, you can just pull up a chair from anywhere.

Take one literally right off the wall!

My university library has a wall where you can quite literally take a seat from mildlyinteresting

6. Try It Before You Buy It

Or maybe you are working alone, but you need to be moving around.

Well now you can!

I have always wanted to try a standing desk or a treadmill desk, but I couldn’t quite commit.

Being able to do this once in awhile, throughout a long writing day, would be amazing.

Basement floor of my campus library has a treadmill with a computer, so you can exercise & study at the same time. from mildlyinteresting

7. Up-Cycle Aesthetics

When you’re tired of working and walking, this library invites you to put your feet up–on old discarded books!

Had a volunteer help me make these stools out of our discarded books for new library seating. from mildlyinteresting

8. Bee-Hive Yourself

If you need a break from working, mosey on down to the children’s section and check out this incredible living bee exhibit!

My local library has bee hive in the kids section, with a tube that leads to the outside. from mildlyinteresting

9. Bottoms Up

Libraries are changing, but they still have a great selection of books to check out.

They’re also finding unique ways to get books into the hands of eager readers.

Like turning the books on the lower shelves so that you can read the spines without doing squats.

The library places the books on the lower shelves on their sides so the titles are easier to read. from mildlyinteresting

10. Don’t @ Me

Librarians are also the best at coming up with clever book display ideas.

All to help books find readers, and readers find books.

When libraries troll their patrons. from pics

11. Spy On Your Neighbors

What better way to find your next big read than to check out what other people are reading too?

Word of mouth always was the best way to find the next great thing.

Library has "Recently Returned" section so you can see what other people have been reading from mildlyinteresting

12. LibGuides to Tough Topics

They’re sensitive to the fact that sometimes you need a book you don’t want to ask for, and not everyone knows how to use the catalog to find it on their own.

This library has a directory for topics people might be embarrassed to ask for. from mildlyinteresting

13. Surprise Me

For when you just don’t know what you WANT, but you know what you LIKE.

Because sometimes you don’t have the time or brain space to decide.

Let a librarian do it for you.

At my library you can pick up bags of books in a certain genre without knowing what those books are from mildlyinteresting

14. Marathon Movie Night

Sometimes you want to have a marathon, but you can’t get all the things.

Well now you can.

This library has grouped them together into marathon kits so you can binge to your heart’s content.

My library loans out themed "Binge Boxes" from mildlyinteresting

15. Book 1A Please

Available 24-7, book vending machines really are a thing now.

They’re quick, easy, convenient, and freaking brilliant!

This train station has a library book vending machine from mildlyinteresting

16. Rolling Library

If you thought the book vending machine was cool, check this out.

Libraries have always been great about meeting people where they are.

Remember book mobiles?

Well now there are libraries built into actual subway trains! BECAUSE WHY NOT?

This subway car in Seoul has a mini library from mildlyinteresting

17. Not Only Books

I’ve heard of libraries that will let you check out art prints to hang on your wall.

Well this library has figured out a cool niche.

After all, how many times is your kid going to want the Darth Vader birthday cake?

At this library in Philadelphia you can rent cake pans from mildlyinteresting

18. It All Adds Up

The value of libraries is continually debated and called into question.

You can’t put a number on many of the services, like story time for the kids and reading groups and meeting spaces and community events.

But some libraries are fighting back, finding ways to remind us just how much they are worth, when it IS quantifiable.

Amazing!

My library receipt shows how much money I’ve saved. from mildlyinteresting

I love these posts, and I think maybe “cool library things” need a dedicated subreddit all their own.

Everyone has a library story. Share yours in the comments!

The post People Shared Their Ode to Cool Libraries appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

“Tell Me You Grew Up Poor Without Telling Me You Grew Up Poor.” Here Are the Responses.

America is one of the wealthiest nations on the planet and indeed one of the richest countries in history.

And for a lot of people who’ve lived comfortable lives here, it’s easy to overlook the fact that that wealth is far from even. So many people grow up in a kind of poverty you might not even think feasible in a place like this. But it’s an ultra-common experience.

That’s a conversation that got kicked off by a thread started by actor Trevor Donovan who said:

So, how did the (mostly American) Twitter audience respond? Let’s look at some examples.

10. Kleenex as a luxury

Oh man, especially if you’re actually getting the name brand stuff.

9. The letter present

I mean, that’s going to mean far more to you as you grow older than some quickly forgotten toy would.

8. Out of the tube

For real though, get you one of those little plastic rollers. Does wonders.

7. Fee knowledge

Nobody’s more cost-aware than those who have nothing.

6. Old style food stamps

Wait, whose pictures are on those?

5. When summer came

That’s pretty ingenious, actually.

4. On the cheap

I kinda do too.

3. No such thing as Christmas

Santa has very mixed feelings about this.

2. Bigger than a bread bag

The poor man’s water lining.

1. The bunks

They look like some sweet, happy kids.

We may be rich as a whole, but never forget your neighbors in need.

What’s your ultimate poor experience?

Tell us in the comments.

The post “Tell Me You Grew Up Poor Without Telling Me You Grew Up Poor.” Here Are the Responses. appeared first on UberFacts.

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What’s Your Big Family Secret That Ended Up Coming Out?

A lot of families out there kind of operate like soap operas.

There’s drama, intrigue, backstabbing, and a whole lot of dark secrets that seem to come out at the worst time.

Like a wedding or a funeral.

And that’s when the finger-pointing and the fighting start!

Have you ever had a big secret come out in your family?

Folks on AskReddit shared their stories.

1. So many questions.

“My mother is kid #7 of 10.

My aunt (kid #4) who was born in 1945 did her DNA and found out that she has a different father from everyone else. She was devastated. There was always rumor that there was an affair but nobody talked about it.

She has so many questions but nobody’s alive to answer her.

2. Crazy.

“In the 1970s a dead girl was found on my grandpa’s property.

Everyone including the local police just assumed she was in with a bad crowd and m**dered by drug dealers.

In the 1990s, some of his grandkids came forward about all the molestation.

After that, people started to realize grandpa probably k**led that girl.”

3. Shocking and sad.

“My dad always thought his father who raised him wasn’t his biodad and the father thought the same.

He was treated terribly by his father because the father was told he couldn’t have children and my father was born prematurely (but at a healthy weight).

So, everyone assumed my grandmother had an affair and got pregnant with my dad. It was to the point that after my grandmother d**d, my grandfather failed to even mention to his new wife that he had a son and grandchild (me).

Years later, my dad gets an AncestryDNA test for him and me. He find out that his dad was actually his bio dad. It was shocking and sad.”

4. A reunion.

“Found out my grandma had a baby as a teenager and was forced to give him up for adoption by my great grandparents.

40 years later he found us.”

5. Wow.

“My great grandmother wasn’t actually Mexican, but rather was adopted by Mexicans from a Chinese family who was being kicked out of Mexico when railroad construction was over.

She always had more typically Asian features but only spoke Spanish and it was never really questioned. 23 and me is a hell of a thing.”

6. The gift.

When I was 5 years old (1988), Santa Claus left a Nintendo on our front porch.

It was wrapped in newspaper, and my parents had no idea who gifted it to us. My dad, particularly, tried to figure it out. He was always suspicious that it had been a family friend. It was by far the best gift of the year, and we played it all the time throughout our childhood.

My dad d**d in 2004.

Last Christmas, my mom explained that she was the one who had bought it and surreptitiously placed it on the porch. My dad really liked to be in control of things and had forbidden the purchase.

She knew better. She didn’t tell a soul for 30 years.”

7. The real story.

“After my mom d**d I found out the real story behind my parent’s marriage.

She came to my father’s country to visit some of her relatives. Met my father and after just one week she asked him to marry her so she could stay in the country. My father accepted because he had no one else and his parents were pressing him to get married already.

But the highlight of the story is that over some time, the two of them fell in love with each other. Their love only grew over the time and they were really happy together. My mother spent her last days very ill, and she would accept only my father by her bedside.

He swears to this day that she was an angel sent from god to take care of him. I am shocked that they got married just like that, out of the blue and ended up loving each other so so so deeply. I can only hope to have as good and loving marriage as they had.”

8. Scandalous.

“About a month ago, my mother-in-law’s 88 year old sister revealed on her death bed that her husband’s best friend was actually the father of all 4 of her children.

Her husband was an abusive Grade A jerk by all accounts.

While everyone was shocked, no one was saddened by this news.”

9. Where the bodies are buried.

“I only just recently heard about this, but my grandmother had gotten a little drunk with my dad and brother a month or so ago and started talking about our great uncle Ferber (not sure on the spelling).

From what I heard he apparently k**led quite a few people and buried them on some family-owned land in a swamp.”

10. What a story.

“My uncle served in Vietnam. While over there his troop found a baby that had been orphaned or abandoned, they aren’t sure.

My uncle was shipping back to Australia soon and wanted to adopt him, but my aunt said no (they’d only been married about 4 months when he was drafted, so while I don’t agree with my aunt’s actions and generally don’t like her as a person, I can understand why she said no). My uncle’s troop found a family to raise the baby, and that’s the story the whole family knows.

The secret is that my uncle and some other guys from his troop stayed in contact with the family and the kid, sending them money every month to help raise him and then to help him go to university and eventually helped him and his adoptive family move to Australia in the last 90s.

My aunt and the rest of my family had no idea all this time, it only came out when my aunt and uncle divorced in 2017 and she had a forensic accountant go through their bank records. She worked at a bank for like 40 years and always noticed the money missing, but his reasons were always justified.

Since we all know now, my uncle has introduced some of us to the guy and his family. They’re all really lovely people.”

11. Mobbed up.

“My great grandfather didn’t d** of cancer.

He d**d from complications after being shot when one of his businesses was being robbed. Maybe. He also spent a lot of time in Atlantic City. He also had a lot of partners in the Teamsters and other unions in coal country. Also, everyone called him “Smiling Tony’ but his name wasn’t Tony.

He d**d in the 1960s, long before my time, but when my great grandmother d**d 20 years ago, a very old guy showed up to the funeral in a white suit and all of the oldest people in my family kisses his hand. When I asked, no one knew who he was.

My grandfather moved his family away from central PA in the late 1960s and disconnected from all of this but, there it is.”

12. Grandpa.

“When my paternal grandfather d**d the federal govt reached out to do a state funeral. He’d been career army and a colonel, so we didn’t question it.

Then the funeral came and they went ALL OUT! Huge procession, people showing up who are really big names, like heads of dept’s, senators, retired senators, people from the CIA and State Dept.

It was nuts and we were all super confused. Turns out he was a key dude in the OSI during WWII and when the OSI splintered into the CIA and Secret Service, he went the Secret Service route.

He wasn’t on White House detail, but instead worked in a covert office that dealt with counterfeiting and currency. He went blind when I was a toddler and retired from ‘the Army.’

For whatever reason, he told no one about all his covert work with the OSI and Secret Service and the only person who knew (my grandmother) was sworn to secrecy and never told anyone. My father grew up thinking he was just a colonel working on base.

Only after his death were we given all sorts of cool s**t like publications by him, lectures given by him, and all kinds of things from various things he did and was known for. All I knew him as was a blind old man who was perpetually smoking, drinking and being a crotchety b**tard.

Turns out he was a bad motherf**ker and all but none of us knew.”

Okay, it’s confession time…

Tell us about a family secret of yours that came out.

Time to give us all the dirt!

The post What’s Your Big Family Secret That Ended Up Coming Out? appeared first on UberFacts.