Ninety-two percent of the Earth-like planets that will ever inhabit the universe don’t exist yet.

Cookie Monster originally had fangs.

OK was first used by a Boston newspaper editor as an intentionally misspelled, jokey abbreviation of “all correct.”

At Arlington Public Library in Virginia, you can check out an American Girl Doll. The library has eight of them in its collection.

Laser tag was invented in Dallas, Texas in the early 1980s. Inventor George Carter came up with the idea after watching Star Wars.

Erik Sass is covering the events of the war exactly 100 years after they happened. This is the 258th installment in the series.

November 21, 1916: Franz Josef Dies 

Already 84 years old when he made the critical decision that ignited the First World War, Austria-Hungary’s iconic dynast Franz Josef lived long enough to witness the nightmare unleashed by his desperate gamble – but not the final collapse of his empire, nor the strange new world that arose from the ashes. 

On November 21, 1916, several days after contracting pneumonia on a walk around the palace grounds, the Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary died at the age of 86, having ruled his subjects for a remarkable 68 years, making him one of the longest reigning monarchs in history. His successor, his young, liberal-leaning nephew Karl, until recently the commander of an army on the Eastern Front, inherited a system in collapse (below, the royal family at Franz Josef’s funeral on November 30, 1916):

Indeed, Franz Josef’s entire life could be viewed as a chronicle of the long, gradual decay of Europe’s old aristocratic order, punctuated by disasters and sudden bursts of frenetic activity – brief and only partially successful attempts at reform. 

Franz Josef ascended to the throne unexpectedly as liberal revolutions swept Europe in 1848, threatening the very existence of the monarchy and its multiethnic dynastic holdings. After his uncle and predecessor Ferdinand I abdicated to appease the revolutionaries, Franz Josef’s father Franz Karl also renounced the throne, leaving the task of reuniting the divided and rebellious empire to his 18-year-old son. 

This the new emperor did with typical caution, reflecting both his youth and generally moderate character – but as a profoundly conservative aristocrat he also showed a steely determination to uphold the old feudal order, as well as a willingness to use force if he judged it necessary. 

After agreeing to the constitution demanded by liberal revolutionaries in 1849, restoring his power base in Austria, Franz Josef crushed a nationalist rising in Hungary by inviting Tsar Nicholas I to send 200,000 Russian troops into the rebellious kingdom – one of the high watermarks of the Concert of Europe, the reactionary diplomatic system created by Metternich to prop up the continent’s old dynasties following the upheavals of the French Revolution and Napoleon. 

Following the defeat of the Hungarian revolution, however, Franz Josef was willing (as he would show himself many times in the decades to come) to compromise in order to preserve the core institution of the monarchy amid the earth-shaking developments resulting from the spread of nationalism across Europe. 

In 1859 Austria lost the kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia to the new-forming nation of Italy, causing a long-standing grudge, which their membership in the Triple Alliance did nothing to allay (ironically Franz Josef’s ill-fated heir, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, though the empire would go to war with Italy before Serbia). 

But no event was more fateful for Austria-Hungary, or Europe, than the creation of a new German state by Prussia led by chancellor Otto von Bismarck, who united the independent German kingdoms by force under Prussian rule with a series of short wars, successfully overcoming opposition by Austria and the German Confederation in 1866, and France in 1870-1. Austria’s stinging defeat damaged Vienna’s prestige and stirred up a new Hungarian national movement by the aristocratic Magyars; with the compromise of 1867, Franz Josef conceded the Hungarians their own constitution, giving rise to the unusual Dual Monarchy that would unite the “kaiserlich und königlich” (Imperial and royal) realms of Austria-Hungary somewhat awkwardly for the rest of its existence.

With the rise of Germany as a leading industrial power in the remaining years of the century, Austria transitioned from defeated foe to junior partner in central Europe – a diplomatic demotion which Franz Josef accepted graciously enough, although he found Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II rude and overbearing. Personal tragedy struck in 1889 with the suicide of Franz Josef’s son and heir Rudolf, who killed himself in a suicide pact with his mistress Mary Vetsera, leaving the crown (unexpectedly, again) to the emperor’s nephew Franz Ferdinand. 

But the emperor never deviated from the basic, aristocratic views that he inherited along with his feudal realm – among them the principle of “hausmacht,” or the power of the noble house. This expressed itself in opportunistic attempts to aggrandize the power of the Habsburgs by acquiring new territorial holdings, just as an ambitious medieval monarch might in the days of the Holy Roman Empire. 

This ancient impulse was ill suited to the modern era, and became dangerous with the surging power of national ideologies requiring resistance to “foreign” rule, even by a well-intended dynasty. This was the bitter fruit of Franz Josef’s ill-advised decision to formally annex Bosnia-Herzegovina, formerly a province of the declining Ottoman Empire, in 1908.

In addition to sparking a general diplomatic crisis, the annexation of Bosnia embroiled Austria-Hungary in a messy, unwanted confrontation with the neighboring small Slavic kingdom of Serbia, and with it its great Slavic patron, Russia. The confrontation between the Dual Monarchy and Serbia escalated with Serbia’s success in the First and Second Balkan Wars, threatening to cause a general European war. The situation was temporarily defused by the Conference of London, which agreed on the creation of a new nation, Albania, to prevent further Serbian expansion in 1912.   

However Franz Josef’s advisors, including chief of the general staff Conrad von Hotzendorf and foreign minister Count Berchtold, were convinced that Serbia remained committed to undermining the empire in its nationalist quest to free the Serbs of Bosnia (some Serbs, led by the intelligence officer Apis, certainly were). The assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand provided a convenient excuse to finally crush Serbia and dispense with the threat of Slavic nationalism once and for all – but they were unable to avoid war with Russia, resulting in disaster. 

In the two years following the outbreak of war, Franz Josef found himself largely an onlooker to the empire’s repeated military defeats (and later successes under German control). His refusal to give up traditional Habsburg territories in the Trentino and Trieste provoked Italy to join the war against the empire in 1915. By the same token, there was little he could do to stave off German moves to dominate Eastern Europe economically and diplomatically, giving Austria-Hungary’s inferior position. Chaos was also clearly beginning to rend the old society: on October 21, 1916 the Austrian premier Karl von Stürgkh was assassinated by the socialist revolutionary Friedrich Adler. But at least he lived to see Romania, another erstwhile ally, brought to book.

German victories were hardly much consolation for the people of the fragmenting empire he left behind. On one hand there was still the popular image of a familiar, avuncular figure, who had endured the heartbreaking loss of his child, and could until recently still be seen taking stately walks with his companion Katharina Schratt. On the other was the knowledge that this elderly man had set in motion events that caused the conflagration consuming Europe – and then stood back, a passive bystander to what followed. 

In Karl Kraus’ satirical play “The Last Days of Mankind”, when told that the emperor has died, the character “the Grumbler” responds: “How do you know?” Later the same character opines: “Just for reasons of prestige, this monarchy should have committed suicide long ago.” Asked to evaluate the emperor’s 70-year-reign, he unleashes a tirade against the years in question: 

They are a nightmare of an evil spirit which, in return for extracting all our life juices, and then our life and property also, let us have as a happy gift the opportunity to become completely idiotic by worshiping an emperor’s beard as an idol. Never before in world history has a stronger non-personality impressed his stamp on all things and forms. A demon of mediocrity has determined our fate. Only he insisted on Austria’s right to trouble the world with our murderous nationality brawls, a right grounded in the God-ordained bureaucratic muddle under the Hapsburg scepter, the mission of which, it appears, has been to hover above world peace like Damocles’ sword. 

Later the Grumbler adds: 

I would also like to believe that it is more pleasing to God to show veneration for the majesty of death at the graves of ten millions youths and men, and hundreds of thousands of women and infants who had to die of hunger, than to bow down before that one casket in the Capuchins’ Crypt, that very casket that entombs the old man who considered everything carefully and, with a single scratch of the pen, brought it all about. 

Unsurprisingly, news of Franz Josef’s death didn’t elicit a great outpouring of sympathy from Austria-Hungary’s enemies in the great struggle now unfolding. Mildred Aldrich, an American woman living in the countryside near Paris, wrote in a letter home on November 25, 1916, touching on Franz Josef’s death briefly: 

In the meantime I am sorry that Franz Josef did not live to see this war of his out and take his punishment. I used to be so sorry for him in the old days, when it seemed as if Fate showered disasters on the heads of the Hapsburgs. I wasted my pity. The blows killed everyone in the family but father. The way he stood it and never learned to be kind or wise proved how little he needed pity. 

See the previous installment or all entries.

In recent years, the Black Friday craze has inched further and further into Thanksgiving. With stores opening as early as 5 p.m. on Thursday, festive dinners are being overshadowed by shopping frenzies. Retailers like to point the blame at consumers—according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey, almost six in 10 Americans plan to shop Thanksgiving weekend—but opening a day early also runs the risk of cannibalizing sales that could have been made on Friday. Furthermore, with stores open the day before, the idea of going shopping in the middle of the night for already picked-over merchandise seems unnecessary.

But there are still stores that allow workers to stay home and enjoy the holiday. We worked with Best Black Friday to find out which companies decided not to open on Thanksgiving. 

1. DSW

In a status update on the company’s Facebook page, DSW said: “We’re closed for Thanksgiving so our associates can celebrate with friends and family.”

2. COSTCO

The warehouse club has always had a reputation for being good to their employees. This Thanksgiving, Costco’s nearly 150,000 employees will have the opportunity to spend the holiday with their families.

3. NORDSTROM

Nordstrom won’t be open for business on Thanksgiving, but some employees will still be coming in for work. “[F]or the past 40+ years, some of our employees work on Thanksgiving eve and into the wee hours of the morning on Thanksgiving Day to decorate our stores with our holiday trim. This is mostly a group of employees who have volunteered to be there and some bring along relatives or friends to join in,” a spokesperson told ThinkProgress in 2014. “We’ll also have a small team working in our Nordstrom.com Call Centers on Thanksgiving to serve the many customers who shop online that day.”

4. DILLARD’S

In 2014, Dillard’s spokesperson told ThinkProgress, “We choose to remain closed on Thanksgiving in longstanding tradition of honoring of our customers’ and associates’ time with family.”

5. BJ’S WHOLESALE CLUB

BJ’s Wholesale Club has confirmed they will be closed Thanksgiving. In 2013, their CEO told The Huffington Post, “call me old-fashioned, but I feel that it’s an easy decision to make [to stay closed on Thanksgiving].”

6. BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY

The retailer has made a point of staying closed for the past two years as well.

7. REI

REI will not be open for Thanksgiving or Black Friday. Because the sporting goods retailer says that they “believe that being outside makes our lives better,” their CEO is “paying our employees to head outside.”

8. AMERICAN GIRL

You will have to wait until Friday to pick up a doll. 

9. CRATE & BARREL

Crate & Barrel employees will be staying home on Thanksgiving this year.

10. JO-ANN FABRICS AND CRAFTS

“Out of respect to our Team Members and their families, Jo-Ann stores will not be open Thanksgiving Day,” Travis Smith, then-CEO and president of Jo-Ann Stores, Inc., said in 2011. “We ask a lot from our Team Members during the holidays, and Thanksgiving Day is a valued tradition for many families. We believe it is important for our Team Members to be able to spend this time with their loved ones.” The tradition continues this year.

11. T.J. MAXX

“We feel so strongly about our employees spending Thanksgiving with their families,” said spokeswoman Doreen Thompson. “And we don’t anticipate this changing in the future.”

12. MARSHALLS

Marshalls, like T.J. Maxx, is owned by TJX and will therefore also be closed.

13. PIER 1 IMPORTS

Pier 1 Imports decided to stay closed for the holiday.

14. PUBLIX

You’ll have to buy your last-minute Thanksgiving fixings somewhere else.

15. SIERRA TRADING POST

“As in past years, Sierra Trading Post stores will be closed on Thanksgiving so our Associates can enjoy the holiday with family and friends,” said spokesperson Juliette Rule.

16. BARNES & NOBLE

Barnes & Noble wants their employees to enjoy the holiday with their families.

17. SAM’S CLUB

Sam’s Club is closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

18. IKEA

Most IKEA locations in the U.S. will be closed on Thanksgiving so employees can spend time with family and friends. So if you’re craving Swedish meatballs instead of turkey (or, you know, you really need an ottoman), you’ll have to wait it out.

19. THE HOME DEPOT

The Home Depot stays closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

20. PATAGONIA

When asked why in 2014, a spokesperson responded,“It’s a holiday—we’re closed!”

21. STAPLES 

Staples was open in previous years, but changed their mind beginning last year. “We want our customers and associates to enjoy Thanksgiving their own way,” said Demos Parneros, president, North American stores and online. “On Thanksgiving Day, customers can shop from home on Staples.com and then continue their shopping in stores starting at 6 a.m. on Black Friday.”

22. GAMESTOP

“We believe strongly that our customers and associates should have the opportunity to spend the Thanksgiving holiday relaxing with family and friends, and not worrying with the stress of where to find the best shopping deals. We know this is in stark contrast to what many other retailers are doing, but we are taking a stance to protect family time during this important holiday,” Mike Buskey, executive vice president and president of U.S. Stores, said in a press release last year.

23. LOWE’S

The hardware giant has decided to give its employees the day off to spend with their families. 

24. GUITAR CENTER

The musical instrument retailer will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. The rocking will recommence on Friday morning.

25. MALL OF AMERICA

The overwhelming majority of stores housed in the Minnesota mecca of retail will be closed for Thanksgiving. “We are so pleased that our tenants have embraced this opportunity to give their employees the day to enjoy Thanksgiving with their families and friends,” mall spokesman Dan Jasper said in an email to the Star Tribune.

26. THE CONTAINER STORE

Last year, The Container Store issued a statement expressing its hope that the holiday would give employees the chance to “recharge and renew and come back to work ready to take on the holiday season.“

27. NEIMAN MARCUS

The luxury department store will be closed for Thanksgiving. But if you’re so inclined, you can buy Thanksgiving dinner from them for a neat $495.

28. PETCO

PETCO employees will be spending the holiday home with their own cats and dogs.

29. OUTDOOR RESEARCH

On its website, the outdoor apparel and gear company said it would be joining REI in its #OptOutside initiative, and will be closed on both Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

30. OFFICE DEPOT

In a press release, Troy Rice, chief operating officer of North America for Office Depot, Inc. said: “As we evaluated our store hours for this holiday and weighed the business and personal considerations, we decided it was best to provide our associates with the day off to spend time with family and friends by closing our retail stores on Thanksgiving Day.”

This is just a fraction of the list of stores deciding to stay closed on Thanksgiving. Check out of the full list on Best Black Friday. 

California seems to hold a particular fascination in songwriters’ hearts—the state and its cities are name-dropped in an incredibly diverse range of songs from across the decades, like “California Dreamin’,” “Californication,” “California Girls” (and Katy Perry’s nod, “California Gurls”), and “L.A. Woman,” to name just a few. But there are plenty of other geographical locations that have made it onto the musical map, too.

Luckily, as WIRED reports, the UK-based designers at Dorothy have created a map to remind you of those oft-forgotten world jams, be it “24 Hours From Tulsa,” “Back in the USSR,” or “Goodnight Saigon.”

The poster (priced at about $31 plus shipping) assigns at least a few songs to every country, spreading more that 1000 songs across the globe. An index at the bottom lists every song featured with the corresponding artist.

Not all of the selections are songs that directly reference the region in question, though. Some are cheeky references to a region’s reputation, history, or politics. “American Idiot” goes to Florida and “Welcome to the Jungle” to Brazil, while “Another Brick in the Wall” travels to China. (You can zoom in on the full version here to see them all).

[h/t WIRED]

All images courtesy Dorothy.