http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs Feel Smart Again Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:05:29 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/27951 Maybe I'm not a fireworks connoisseur, but I had no idea there were so many different types of effects and I definitely didn't know they had names. To me, their names are, "The Ones That Do That Shooty Thing," "The Ones That Scream" and "The Ones That Kind of ... http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/27944 In honor of the Fourth of July, let's start with a medley of videos memorializing Fireworks gone wrong. * From Sydney, a student at NC State, comes an update on the Barrel Monster story from last week. Best part is the construction company's consideration that they would like to keep the ... http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/27937 This week's installment of our "5 Things You Didn't Know About..." series focuses on one of the finest comic actors of all time. Whether in comedies like The Philadelphia Story and Bringing Up Baby or Hitchcock thrillers like North by Northwest, Cary Grant could make even throwaway bits of ... http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/27923 You know Ben Franklin was a Pennsylvania man, and Thomas Jefferson was on Team Virginia. But what about the less famous Founding Fathers? Today's quiz asks you to choose which state 12 signers of the Declaration of Independence were representing. Take the Quiz: Founding Fathers http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/27889 Play for your chance to WIN a $100 shopping spree in our store! We're back with another 5-day trivia hunt! First let's meet our current champion, and big $100 winner, Daniel Wilson. You can read all about him and see the answers to last month's final puzzle here. As comments have been turned ... http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/27932 On the night of September 13, 1814, Francis Scott Key, an American lawyer and amateur poet, accompanied American Prisoner Exchange Agent Colonel John Stuart Skinner to negotiate a prisoner release with several officers of the British Navy. During the negotiations, Key and Skinner learned of the British intention to attack ... http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/27805 This Saturday is July 4, a day when Americans of all shapes and sizes will come together to commemorate the founding of their country, and the noble pursuit of life, liberty, and overcooked hamburgers. Here’s a quick quiz question – how many people signed the Declaration of Independence? We’re betting ... http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/27785 Well, the 4th of July weekend is almost here. Time for fireworks, parades, and all those great outdoor cookouts. But for a few hearty souls, it's also time to loosen the old stomach muscles, in preparation for the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. Let's warm up for ... http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/27907 Back at the end of May, I promised to cover 13 artists from 13 different countries in the 13 “Feel Art Again” posts for the month of June. Due to personal issues, I’ve gotten a little behind schedule, but I’ll be working this week to fulfill my promise. Today’s post lands ... http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/27900