Uncle John's Endlessly Engrossing Bathroom Reader Read online




  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Praise

  Acknowledgments

  WE KEEP GOING…AND GOING…AND GOING…

  YOU’RE MY INSPIRATION

  WARNING LABELS

  MYTH-CONCEPTIONS

  BUTTERFLY FACTS

  OOPS !

  STAYING ON TRACK

  THE LONG AND SHORT OF THINGS

  FIRE SAFETY 101

  CSI: OOPS

  LOWER EDUCATION

  MAN VS. DRYER

  TECH SUPPORT

  FOOD ORIGINS

  LATTE

  FAST FOOD KIDS’ MEAL

  THE SHIRLEY TEMPLE

  WHY ARE THEY CALLED “TANKS”?

  EVERYDAY HEROES

  STEERED RIGHT

  RAIL BRAVE

  IT CAME FROM ABOVE

  DIDN’T SEE THAT ONE COMING

  BIONIC MEN

  CONFESSIONS!

  THAT’S AMORE?

  STUPID CUPID

  WHO’S SORRY NOW?

  SLEEP THE NIGHT AWAY

  OH, WHAT A TANGLED WEB SITE

  TRADING PLACES

  I WANT HALF!

  METROPOLIS CONFIDENTIAL

  A MINI-ENCYCLOPEDIA OF KRYPTONITE

  EATING CONTESTS TO AVOID

  CRANBERRY SAUCE

  HAGGIS

  RAMEN NOODLES

  CHILI SPAGHETTI

  PICKLED BEEF TONGUE (WHOLE)

  BUTTER (¼-pound sticks)

  HARD-BOILED EGGS

  PICKLED JALAPEÑO PEPPERS

  THE FIRST TRAIN ROBBERS

  SOMETHING NEW

  END OF THE LINE

  TITANIC, STARRING MACAULAY CULKIN

  DRIVING MISS DAISY, STARRING LUCILLE BALL

  TITANIC, STARRING MACAULAY CULKIN

  CHARLIE’S ANGELS, STARRING ANGELINA JOLIE

  GREASE, STARRING HARRY REEMS

  THE CROW, STARRING CHRISTIAN SLATER

  FORREST GUMP, STARRING DAVE CHAPPELLE

  THRASHINGS

  HORSE RACING

  BASKETBALL

  SOCCER

  OLYMPIC HOCKEY

  GOLF

  DID YOU EVER NOTICE…

  THREE AMAZING AFRICAN TREES

  THE BIG BAOBAB

  THE MIRACLE TREE

  THE TREE OF TÉNÉRÉ

  OFFICIAL STATE BUSINESS

  NUMBERED FACTS

  THE GREAT RACE, PART I

  GET A HORSE

  MY CAR’S BETTER THAN YOURS

  GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES

  THEY’RE OFF!

  TAKING THE LEAD

  THE BEIJING TEA SCAM (AND OTHER CONS)

  IRONIC, ISN’T IT?

  DINGLES AND BEEF

  UP IN A DOWN ECONOMY

  RANDOM BITS ON ’70s HITS

  DOWN THE HATCH!

  DO-IT-YOURSELF DISASTERS

  KITCHEN Q&A

  What is “freezer burn”? Is it bad for you?

  What’s the reason for boiling live lobsters?

  Why do they put wax (or whatever that stuff is) on cucumbers?

  Is it true that you have to cook pork until it’s well done?

  There’s mold on my cheese. Can I eat it anyway?

  Is that red juice oozing from the roast beef actually blood?

  WHAT A CONCEPT!

  EVACUATE NOW!

  DUNKIRK, FRANCE

  MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO

  THE SS REPUBLIC

  PRIPYAT, UKRAINE

  UNCLE JOHN’S STALL OF FAME

  SO, WHERE ARE THEY?

  FERMI’S PARADOX

  LOW PRIORITY

  A CONVENIENT SPACEGOAT

  SILENT TREATMENT

  FUNERAL MISHAPS

  HE LOOKS TERRIBLE IN THAT (LAW)SU IT

  DO NOT SPEAK ILL OF THE DEAD

  BAD MONKEY

  UNITED IN DEATH

  DEATH AT A FUNERAL

  ROBOTS IN THE NEWS

  BUG-BOT

  SCIENCE-BOT

  BARTENDER-BOT

  LIFTER-BOT

  PET-BOT

  TEACHER-BOT

  RECYCLE-BOT

  PSEUDOCIDAL TENDENCIES

  DER FARTENFÜHRER

  THE LEADER

  OLD MAN

  DIAGNOSES

  THE CURE THAT ILLS

  GUT FEELING

  STILL FARTIN’

  CHEST HAIR: $7 MILLION

  THE SCAR POLICY

  FAME…

  …AND FORTUNE

  THE 49TH STATE

  BACKGROUND

  DUMB CROOKS

  EGG ON HIS FACE

  TAKE THE MONEY AND (DON’T) RUN

  KNIFE? CHECK. MASKS? CHECK. GAS? UH…

  LIQUID COURAGE

  HEY, I KNOW THAT GUY!

  IT’S JUST POLITE TO LEAVE A NOTE

  CUFF ’EM, DAN-O

  INVENTED WORDS

  FACTOID

  AGNOSTIC

  GROK

  YES-MAN

  REALTOR

  GOBBLEDYGOOK

  TOM SWIFTIES

  THE BESTSELLING...

  THE DIGITAL CAMERA REVOLUTION, PART I

  A DEVELOPING STORY

  SENSOR SHIP

  THE KODAK DIGITAL TOASTER

  GOING COMMERCIAL

  TAKING OVER

  AERO-NUTS

  LOADED

  CHANNEL SURFING

  I’M AMERICAN, AND EUROPEAN

  EPILOGUE

  HIS LOUSY HIGHNESS

  HEBREW

  SPUN-OUT SPIN-OFFS

  DOUGH NUTS

  A ROYAL MESS

  ALL IN THE FAMILY

  ROYAL DISASTERS

  MAD MEN

  VICTORIA’S SECRET

  THE WACKY WINDSORS

  SCAT-R-US

  WATER WORDS

  DUMB JOCKS

  FOUNDING FATHERS

  JOSEPH PILATES

  ROBERT MONDAVI

  AH BING

  RUDOLPH HASS

  A REAL-LIFE GHOST STORY, PART I

  DOCTOR WHO?

  THIS OLD HOUSE

  YOU ARE BEING WATCHED

  RING RING

  RICE IS NICE

  RICE TO SEE YOU

  HOW DOES RICE GROW?

  KNOW YOUR RICE

  RICE FACTS

  UNCLE JOHN’S PAGE OF LISTS

  THE WALK OF LIFE

  JOHN STEWART (1747–1822)

  WILLIAM WORDSWORTH (1770–1850)

  CAPTAIN BARCLAY (1779–1854)

  PHYLLIS PEARSALL (1906–1996)

  PLENNIE L. WINGO (1895–1993)

  FLUBBED HEADLINES

  NATURAL GAS REPORT

  POLICE LOG

  IN A GALAXY FART, FART AWAY

  A WASTED PAGE

  STRANGE LAWSUITS

  NAME THAT FABRIC

  TWEED

  GINGHAM

  POLYESTER

  RAYON

  CORDUROY

  SPANDEX

  THE FUTURE… ACCORDING TO SCI-FI MOVIES

  DIRTY AIR & BRAIN BUCKETS

  OLD MAN RIVERS

  MISSISSIPPI

  THAMES

  NILE

  YANGTZE

  AMAZON

  DANUBE

  QUIT WHILE YOU’RE AHEAD

  ARTHUR RIMBAUD

  JIM BROWN

  KIM NOVAK

  TOM LEHRER

  ART BELL

  IT A GRIL!

  FAST FOOD

  A SPORTS CAR IS BORN

  THINKING SMALL

  BUY AMERICAN

  TOP SECRET

  THE ROADSTER FINDS A HOME…
/>   …AND A NAME

  WHAT A DOLL!

  A LAUGHING MATTER

  FADS

  BUTTON BEANIES

  MEDLEYS

  HYPERCOLOR

  ZIMA

  THE OBITS

  TAIWAN’S #2 RESTAURANT

  POO-BOT

  GENIUS AT WORK

  LOOKS FAMILIAR

  IT GETS WORSE

  BODILY FLUIDS

  A WORD OF ADVICE

  “MAKE MY DAY”

  LOST AND FOUND: THE CLOUD PEOPLE OF PERU

  ILLUMINATING DISCOVERY

  DISAPPEARING ACT

  RAIDERS OF THE LOST PEOPLES

  THE SKINNY

  MUSIC…WITHOUT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

  KALASHNIKOV PAT & THE HELICOPTER JAILBREAKS

  BELLE GUNNESS: THE TERROR OF LA PORTE

  THE DISCOVERY

  BACKGROUND

  MORE SUSPICIONS

  NOT WELL SUITED

  LAMPHERE

  THE WOMAN IN THE BASEMENT

  BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!

  THE AFTERMATH

  UPDATE

  HOW TO DO THINGS

  HOW TO PICK A GOOD COMPUTER PASSWORD

  HOW TO JUMP-START A CAR

  HOW TO BOIL AN EGG

  HOW TO WRITE A THANK-YOU NOTE

  HOW TO TELL IF A STEAK IS COOKED

  ANTARCTIC JARGON

  INDIANA BASKETBALL: THE “MILAN MIRACLE”

  THE CHURCH OF BASKETBALL

  THE MIRACLE

  CAT AND MOUSE

  STAR QUALITY

  WAITING IN THE WINGS

  THE KING OF AUCTIONS

  THE POTTY POLLS

  GOING OUT

  ELECTRIC COMPANY

  YOU’VE GOT B-MAIL

  POT PEEVES

  CREATURE COMFORTS

  CUBISM

  BUSINESS SHORTS

  WEIRD CANADA

  THE PUNCH WAS TOO PUNCHY

  POT HEAD

  AN ANGRY LITTLE BOOGAARD

  JUST FOR KICKS

  IT USUALLY TASTES BETTER

  A VERY EXPENSIVE PENNY

  PRANKSTERS

  FAKE PROPOSAL

  FAKE RESTAURANT

  FAKE BEST BUY

  FAKE TORCH

  CHILDREN’S BOOKS

  THE COLLOQUY

  THE DISTICHS OF CATO

  THE BOOK OF THE KNIGHT OF THE TOWER

  A TOKEN FOR CHILDREN

  TOMMY THUMB’S PRETTY SONG BOOK

  A LITTLE PRETTY POCKET BOOK

  NAME GAME

  A SHAGGY DOG STORY

  AMERICAN CHEESES

  TILLAMOOK CHEDDAR

  MONTEREY JACK

  MAYTAG BLUE

  LIEDERKRANZ

  SOCIAL NOTWORK

  OBSCURE MONSTERS

  AFTER THE OLYMPICS

  FACTS THAT CUT THE...

  LIFE IMITATES ART

  RANDOM BITS ON ’80s HITS

  EVERYDAY HEROES

  NEITHER RAIN, NOR SLEET, NOR…FIRE!

  BUS DRIVER BOY

  READ YOUR MOLE-O-SCOPE

  LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

  YOUR FACE

  YOUR BODY

  HORSE MYSTERIES

  THE CASE OF THE BRISBANE BATS

  THE CASE OF THE SUDDEN SWELLING

  THE CASE OF THE FALLEN FOALS

  THE CASE OF THE EL PASO PUNCTURES

  THE GARBAGE PROJECT

  TRASHAEOLOGY

  DIGGING IN

  THE GARBAGE SYNDROME

  FIRST PRINCIPLE…OF WEIRD BEHAVIOR

  ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO PRINT

  GARBAGE: THE FINAL FRONTIER

  SMELLS FUNNY

  BUT WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE THERE?

  COOKING WITH JULIA

  THE DIGITAL CAMERA REVOLUTION, PART II

  TEAMING UP

  IT’S A SNAP

  FROM THE FIELD

  JUMPING SHIP

  GOING, GOING, GONE

  TOPSY-TURVY

  JUST PLANE WEIRD

  NUDE ATTITUDE

  GOOD LUCK!

  SHE’LL HAVE THE RIBS

  NO MEALS, NO PEANUTS, AND YOU HAVE TO PUSH

  DON’T MAKE ME TURN THIS PLANE AROUND

  OUTTA HERE

  CABIN PRESSURE

  DON’T HAVE A COW

  ROAD TRIPPING

  PEE-PSI COLA

  BIG, OLD, BUSY BERTHA

  MOOOVE OVER

  MAGNETIC PERSONALITIES

  HOLY COW

  FAIR THEE WELL

  FORGOTTEN FIRSTS

  SODA POPPED

  I LOST ON JEOPARDY!

  A WINNING PHRASE ORIGIN

  OOPS!

  WHEN IS A DEATHBED NOT A DEATHBED?

  WHEN IS AN APOSTLE NOT AN APOSTLE?

  I’M NOT DEAD YET

  IT BROKE THE SPELL-CHECKER

  GRAM CRACKERS

  BLACK (HUMOR) FOREST

  BIG VIDEO TREASURES

  LITTLE VIDEO TREASURES

  THE GREAT MOON HOAX

  A WALK ON THE MOON

  EXPERTS AGREE

  MOON BATS

  BACK TO EARTH

  EPILOGUE

  CHEATING DEATH

  HELLO, I MUST BE GOING

  FATHER KNOWS BEST

  THE HITS JUST KEEP COMIN’

  HEAD CASE

  PLANE AMAZING

  THE WRONG MEANING

  PERUSE

  BLATANT

  DISINTERESTED

  PLUS

  PRESENTLY

  RETICENT

  FORTUITOUS

  ANXIOUS

  PRISTINE

  DAWN

  FOOL’S GOLD

  IT REALLY SUCKS!

  TESTING, TESTING…

  GOLD FEVER

  YOUR GOLD SMELLS FISHY

  CREATIVE SENTENCING

  TURNING THE PAGE

  NOT SO CROSS

  PUTTING THE “PAIN” IN PAINESVILLE

  HURRICAN’T

  BACKSEAT HURLER

  HOW MANILOW CAN YOU GO?

  PEOPLE STUFF FOR DOGS

  WHEN HARRY MET BESSIE

  GO, ARTICHOKES!

  FABULOUS FLOP: THE GYROJET

  THINKING SMALL

  BULLET BASICS

  ROCKET SCIENCE

  THE GUN OF THE FUTURE

  AND NOW THE FINE PRINT

  MORE BAD NEWS

  WHAT A LOAD

  THANKS, BUT…

  GOODBYE, HOLLYWOOD

  GRACE KELLY

  KAL PENN

  GLENDA JACKSON

  BOBBY SHERMAN

  ANDREA THOMPSON

  DOLORES HART

  WORST TEAMS EVER

  WORST HOCKEY TEAM

  WORST FOOTBALL TEAM

  WORST BASKETBALL TEAM

  WORST COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM

  WORST MODERN BASEBALL TEAM

  WORST COLLEGE BASKETBALL TEAM

  WORST OVERALL PRO SPORTS TEAM

  MUSHROOM READER

  YOU CALL THAT ART?

  ODD BOOKS

  A TURKEY IN BOSTON

  AN ALLIGATOR IN THE GARAGE

  A BEAR IN THE MEDIAN

  A TURKEY IN BOSTON

  A BIRD ON THE HEAD

  A BOAR IN THE BACKYARD

  A FISH IN THE WIRES

  IT’S PHOSPHORIFIC!

  MELLOW YELLOW

  BLUE GENIE

  KRAFT’S WORK

  FINALLY…

  GOVERN-MENTAL

  LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP

  STOP—IN THE NAME OF THE LAW

  THE YOLK’S ON HIM

  PELOSI-ROLL’D

  SPACE WAR

  YOU MUST BE DREAMING