... or an on-the-level workout? Truth is, it's a little of both. While most of us never heard of it before celebs like Carrie-Ann Moss and Jennifer Anniston began dropping the P-bomb in interviews (Moss described her training regimen in prepping for The Matrix: "lots and lots of Pilates") , Pilates has been well known to athletes, especially dancers, for nearly 80 years. Here are some highlights from its colorful history: "¢ German founder Joseph Pilates had a noble motivation for designing his... READ ON

Labor Day has passed, which can only mean one thing for department stores -- it's time to start planning the Hannuramakwanzmas (or, if you prefer, Chrismukkah) holiday displays. (You think we're kidding? Remember, Harrod's was practically celebrating Christmas in July.) Of course, here at mental_floss, we've had holidays on the brain for the last two months; our new issue features 10 Religious Holidays Not Yet Exploited by Hallmark. After the jump, you'll find one of my personal favorites, but before that,... READ ON

Judging from your entries in our "coin a new word" contest, last week you had two things on the brain: politics and Pluto. Quite a few of the entries were either partisan (right and left alike) or planetary, such as: Plutonic relationship: A romantic relationship that has recently been downsized to "just friends." Venus envy: Jealously of another celestial body's recognition as a planet. ("Pluto, recently having been downgraded, was suffering from a serious case of Venus envy when Neptune came... READ ON