by david allan van nostrand | Mar 27, 2023 | Human Behavior, Items in the News, The world around us
There are many theories about how April Fools’ started, so pick your favorite from some of the most popular origin stories. One such story says April Fools’ Day comes to us from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, where the fox tricks the rooster on March 32nd. Another...
by david allan van nostrand | Mar 13, 2023 | critical thinking, Human Behavior, The world around us
Puzzles are tests of ingenuity or knowledge. Solving them requires reasoning, study, and persistence. As games, puzzles present difficulties to be solved by clever and patient effort. Daring puzzle-solvers seek ever-more-demanding challenges. A puzzle can also be a...
by david allan van nostrand | Feb 27, 2023 | Human Behavior, Point of view, Research
Those who have had their homes burglarized had to submit claims to their insurance companies. Only a few had safely put away somewhere the updated lists they tell us all to have, with photos and serial numbers. Only after the claim we filled out by memory has been...
by david allan van nostrand | Feb 20, 2023 | Human Behavior, Organizational Behavior, The world around us
What people in the United States call bank holidays are also called federal holidays, public holidays and legal holidays. Bank holidays are normal business days where the doors to financial institutions are closed because Federal Reserve Bank employees take the day...
by david allan van nostrand | Feb 13, 2023 | Human Behavior, numeracy, The world around us
A hundred years ago, Roy Allen opened a string of root beer stands in California in partnership with Frank Wright. A&W was the name they used for their bottled and draft root beers as well as their roadside restaurants. By 1980 A&W had more than 2,000...
by david allan van nostrand | Feb 6, 2023 | Human Behavior, Items in the News, The world around us
A friend sent a noise yesterday, February 5th, in honor of National Fart Day. I decided to take a closer look and found it is “a comical holiday celebrated for humorous purposes.” I also found there is a National Pass Gas Day, a Fart Out Loud Day and much more....
