Weekly Recommendation: mental_floss

I miss two things about college. I miss the unique passion for and depth of literary discussion that can only be found in 300- and 400- level English classes. College was like the best book club ever. And I miss the joy of simply learning. So this week my recommendation is for a product that has brought that particular joy back into my life.

It's my new favorite publication, mental_floss. I first learned about it in one of Ken Jenning's wonderful books (all of which I also highly recommend), but I didn't check it out myself until a couple months ago, when I found a copy at our library. Since then, I have been reading through all the old issues that the library has.

Each issue of mental_floss contains articles, quick facts, and photos about random information from all disciplines - history, science, technology, current events, literature, art, etc. Alton Brown even has a food column in each issue that is reminiscent of his show Good Eats. The articles discuss topics that range from powerful nuns throughout history, to the dark internet, to influential TV shows, to Russian science experiments. The articles are so fascinating that I often can't put the magazine down. Some interesting facts I have recently gleaned from mental_floss include:

1. Though people credit Benjamin Franklin with coming up with the idea of Daylight Savings Time, the forum in which he "proposed" the idea was a satirical article criticizing French laziness.

2. Jelly Bellies introduced their blueberry flavor for the inauguration of Ronald Reagan (who was a lover of jelly beans) so that red, white, and blue combinations would be possible.

3. A man named Boothroyd wrote to Ian Fleming to point out that James Bond's gun was too ladylike, and suggested the more macho Walther PPK. Fleming took the suggestion, as well as several others Boothroyd gave him over the years. Boothroyd refused compensation, so Fleming named "Q" (whose real name is Boothroyd) after him.

Each issue also contains fun trivia tests and personality quizzes, which are great fun to take with your spouse. Recent quizzes include: "Are you the Nina, the Pinta, or the Santa Maria?" (Mike and I are the Pinta and the Santa Maria, respectively); and "Which forgettable U.S. President are you?" (Rutherford B. Hayes and Franklin Pierce); and "Which defunct political party are you?" (The Bull Moose Party and the Free Soil Party).

mental_floss also has a website, but I actually prefer the magazine, so that is my recommendation for the week.

(Also as a side recommendation, I strongly encourage you to watch this video.)