What is the Night of the Radishes?

Search: Night of the Radishes

Why: Sam is talking about it.

Answer: La Noche de Rabanos is a tradition in Oaxaca, Mexico, celebrated on Dec. 23rd. That's tonight!

The festival dates from the 19th century that combines art, agriculture, and religion. It is held in the zócalo, or main square, in Oaxaca, Mexico, 300 miles south of Mexico City. The radish made its first appearance here during the Spanish colonial period, and in commemoration Oaxaqueños carve them into elaborate shapes and display them on La Noche de Rabanos.

Extremely large radishes are carved into elaborate scenes and figures and placed on display around the Zócalo, along with scenes of figures in the “flor inmortal” (immortal flower: brightly colored, dried straw flowers) and “totomoxtle” (corn husks).

They carve them into all sorts of things, like conquistadors and village people and scenes with the sweet baby Jesus.

Source: Christmas in Oaxaca, Answers.com

The More You Know: And another thing:

During the festival and throughout the Christmas season, another custom is observed: people buy small pottery bowls filled with sweet fried dough called buñuelos. After they eat the dough, they fling the bowl violently to the ground. The walks become thick with pottery shards.

Irreverent!

What famous people were born February 29th?

Search: february 29

Why: Because:

Answer: Popes, prime ministers, and politicians... and 2 serial killers! Here are some:

• 1468 – Pope Paul III (d. 1549)
• 1736 – Ann Lee, American founder of Shakers (d. 1784)
• 1840 – John Philip Holland, Irish inventor of the submarine (d. 1914)
• 1896 – Morarji Desai, Prime Minister of India (d. 1995)
• 1896 – William A. Wellman, American film director (d. 1975)
• 1904 – Jimmy Dorsey, American bandleader (d. 1957)
• 1904 – Wolfe+585, Senior, aka Hubert Blaine Wolfe­schlegel­stein­hausen­berger­dorff, Sr. (Wolfe+585, Senior), aka Adolph Blaine Charles David Earl Frederick Gerald Hubert Irvin John Kenneth Lloyd Martin Nero Oliver Paul Quincy Randolph Sherman Thomas Uncas Victor William Xerxes Yancy Zeus Wolfe­schlegelstein­hausenberger­dorffvoraltern­waren­gewissenhaft­schaferswessen­schafewaren­wohlgepflege­und­sorgfaltigkeit­beschutzen­von­angreifen­durch­ihrraubgierigfeinde­welche­voraltern­zwolftausend­jahres­vorandieerscheinen­wander­ersteer­dem­enschderraumschiff­gebrauchlicht­als­sein­ursprung­von­kraftgestart­sein­lange­fahrt­hinzwischen­sternartigraum­auf­der­suchenach­diestern­welche­gehabt­bewohnbar­planeten­kreise­drehen­sich­und­wohin­der­neurasse­von­verstandigmen­schlichkeit­konnte­fortplanzen­und­sicher­freuen­anlebens­langlich­freude­und­ruhe­mit­nicht­ein­furcht­vor­angreifen­von­anderer­intelligent­geschopfs­von­hinzwischen­sternartigraumen, Senior, German-born American typesetter who has the longest personal name ever used (death year unknown)
• 1908 – Balthus, French-Polish painter (d. 2001)
• 1924 – Carlos Humberto Romero, President of El Salvador
• 1928 – Joss Ackland, English actor
• 1928 – Tempest Storm, American burlesque performer
• 1936 – Jack Lousma, American astronaut
• 1944 – Dennis Farina, American actor
• 1956 – Aileen Wuornos, American serial killer (d. 2002)
• 1960 – Richard Ramirez, American serial killer
• 1960 – Tony Robbins, American motivational speaker
• 1972 – Pedro Zamora, Cuban-born American Real World housemate and AIDS activist (d. 1994)
• 1976 – Ja Rule, American rapper and actor

Source: Wikipedia

The More You Know: Speaking of leap years, just last week, Eli and I were discussing Christmas and when Jesus was born (March? September?) and December 25th and all that jazz, and we got into the Gregorian calendar, which was implemented because the leap years on the Julian calendar were all screwed up.

At the time of Gregory's edict in 1582, the vernal equinox had moved backward in the calendar, until it was occurring on about 11 March, 10 days earlier.

That means that Christmas would have been drifted all around, too.

BUT THEN! Allie mentioned something about Coptic Christmas, which is currently held on January 7th, in accordance with the old Coptic (Alexandrian) / Julian calendar. It even moves! By the year 2100, Coptic Christmas will be on January 8th.

I want to see a picture of Jacquelyn Kotarac

Search: Jacquelyn Kotarac

Why: I am reading 7 Creepy Urban Legends That Happy to Be True (Part 4) on Cracked.com. Kotarac was that woman who crawled down her boyfriend's chimney in August of this year, got stuck, and died. She was an internist in Bakersfield, CA, which seems like a pretty distinguished job for someone with such poor judgment. I just want to see if she looks like a crazy person.

Answer: No :( She even has an Ab Rocket.

Source: Google Images

The More You Know: Be careful out there, you guys.

Who sings the Christmas carols on the Hyundai commercials?

Search: hyundai christmas carols

Why: They sing "Jingle Bells" (for the Santa Fe), "Up on the Housetop" (for the Sonata), and "Deck the Halls" (for the Genesis). The girl looks kind of familiar. She harmonizes with herself like Mary Ford.

Answer: It's the band Pomplamoose! Those people are Nataly Dawn and Jack Conte.

Source: Answers.com

The More You Know: That is what all their videos look like. Buy their songs on iTunes right here and/or their "videosongs" right here.

Who sings the song on the Target Christmas commercial?

Search: "perfect christmas time" "tiny tree" target

Why: I keep seeing it.

Answer: Guster! Remember them from 10th grade? The song is called "Tiny Tree Christmas."

You can download the full version for free here on the Target website. Or listen to it here:

Source: The Blue Walrus

The More You Know: Lyrics go like:

Comes along just once a year
On winter's wings, December's rear (?)
Ah humbug faces come and dear
And then appears at perfect Christmas time
A tiny tree, Christmas
Tinsel, the lights, a star that sings
Top your tiny tree

Maybe "atop." Those lyrics are weird.

What's the main music in "Christmas Canon" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra?

Search: transsiberian orchestra christmas canon

Why: Have y'all been listening to KOST 103.5 ("love songs on the coast") since the day after Halloween? Because it's been all Christmas music all the time. The little kids choir version of this came on tonight. I know that music, but I feel like I've heard it played in TV weddings. Is it a Christmas song? I don't know.

Amazing Christmas Canon -Trans Siberian Orchestra -

Answer: "Canon in D major" by Johann Pachelbel! It's also called "Pachelbel's Canon"! Hope you would enjoy!

Source: YouTube comments. Some are intelligent!

The More You Know: I'll tell you some TV shows and movies that I have heard it in:

• 13 Going on 30
  
• "The Office" (Jim & Pam's wedding, durr)
  
• Ordinary People
• Runaway Bride
• Wedding Crashers

There are tons more, like a "Simpsons," a "House, a "Wonder Years," and a Jennifer Lopez movie.

What are the lyrics to "It's Christmas Time All Over the World"?

Search: christmas time all over the world lyrics

Why: I was trying to sing it all day in various lines at Disneyland, but I don't know how to say "Merry Christmas" in different languages. Later in the car, I made us listen to Christmas with the Rat Pack, which I really think you should buy.

Answer: Sing along!

It's Christmas time all over the world
It's Christmas here at home
The church bells chime wherever we roam
Så riktig God Jul
Feliz Natal
Shenoraavor Nor Dari
Dari
To you

The snow is thick in most of the world
Childrens' eyes are wide
As old Saint Nick gets ready to ride
So Feliz Navidad
Sretan Božić
And Happy New Year
To you

Though the customs might change
And the language is strange
This appeal we feel is real
In Holland or Hong Kong
It's Christmas time all over the world
In places near and far
And so my friend, wherever you are
Ein fröhliches Weihnachten
Kala Christougenna
Yoi kurisumasu
This means a very merry Christmas
To you

Source: LyricsVIP

The More You Know: But what languages are they??

• Så riktig God Jul - Swedish ("so very merry Christmas")
• Feliz Natal - Portuguese
• Shenoraavor Nor Dari - Armenian
• Feliz Navidad - Spanish
• Sretan Božić - Croatian
• Ein fröhliches Weihnachten - German ("and merry Christmas")
  
• Kala Christougenna - Greek
• Yoi kurisumasu - Japanese ("good Christmas")
  

What's the rest of that song that goes "The horn, the horn, it sounds so forlorn"?

Search: the horn so forlorn

Why: You know, the Christmas jam in You've Got Mail.

Answer: Those maybe aren't the real lyrics.

It's called "The Instrument Song" or "The Orchestra"! (I also see it being called "Zur Feier," which means "to celebrate.") It appears to be originally Austrian or German, possibly by Willy Geisler in 1886, and there are a bunch of versions. Here they are all mashed together:

Violins:
The violins ringing like lovely singing
The violins ringing like lovely song

Clarinets:
The clarinet, the clarinet
Goes doodle doodle doodle det
The clarinet, the clarinet
Goes doodly doodly doodly det

Horns:
The horn, the horn
Awakes me at morn
The horn, the horn
It sounds so forlorn

Trumpet:
The trumpet is sounding ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-te-ta,
Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-te-ta
The trumpet is sounding, ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-te-ta,
Ta-ta-ta-ta

Drums:
The drum's playing two tones
And always the same tones
Five one, one five,
Five five five five one

Source: Toy Town Germany, Songs for Teaching, Manhattan School

The More You Know: Here's a relatively clear version:

Who governs Lajes do Pico?

Search: Lajes do Pico Azores

Why: On the NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) Santa Tracker:

Answer: They are Portuguese, but the government is autonomous! It's one of 19 municipalities on the archipelago of the Azores, which I don't mind saying I had no idea existed. The islands are about 930 miles west of Lisbon and about 2,400 miles from the east coast of North America. There are 5 cities on the Azores - which is made up of 9 major islands - and about 243,000 people. You want to be one of them.

Source: Wikipedia

The More You Know: Because these once uninhabited, remote islands were settled sporadically over a span of centuries, their culture, dialect, cuisine and traditions vary considerably from island to island.

The Monchique Islet on Flores Island, located at 31° 16' 24" W is regarded as the westernmost point in Europe, even though from a geographical standpoint, the two westernmost Azorean islands (Flores and Corvo) actually lie on the North American plate. Ask me later about what I learned about continents last week.

What's that song that goes "and dance by the light of the moon"?

Search: dance by the light of the moon "come out tonight"

Why: I am watching It's a Wonderful Life for the first time. Jimmy and Donna sing it a lot. It is also the theme of some production company, like after a show is over.

Answer: It's called "Buffalo Gals," originally written and published as "Lubly Fan" in 1844 by the blackface minstrel John Hodges, who performed as Cool White. Because it was so popular throughout the United States, minstrels altered the lyrics to suit the local audience, so it might be performed as "New York Gals" or "Boston Gals."

Here's a version by Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney:

Source: Wikipedia

The More You Know: I can't figure out what show that production company did. It's going to bother me for the rest of my life.

UPDATE!!!!! It's the Bedford Falls Company who did "My So-Called Life." Thanks, commenter!

I want to hear the James Taylor cover of "Baby, It's Cold Outside"

Search: james taylor baby its cold

Why: When Kylie of 2Pz (Happy birthday, Kylie!!!!!!!!) mentioned that I said "Baby, It's Cold Outside" is about date rape, contributor thomas wilhelm said:

I've LONG suspected this song was about date rape. Also recently heard the James Taylor cover - he brings it to a whole new level.

Answer: Here it is, plus Natalie Cole:

-Say, what's in this drink?
-I'll take your hat. Your hair looks swell.
-I ought to say no, no, no, sir.
-Mind if I move in closer?
-At least I'm gonna say that I tried.
-What's the sense in hurting my pride?
-I really can't stay.
-What're doing with your coat? You don't need your coat. What're ya puttin' your coat on for? It's warm in here.
-You don't understand.
-Baby, it's cold outside.
-The answer is No.
-Look out the window at the storm.
-Ooh, I've got to go home.
-How can you do this thing to me?
-I really can't stay.
-Darlin... as a friend, you must stay and warm up by this fire. Lemme get you a hot toddy.
-I really can't.
-People are so suspicious. I'm just innocently suggesting you keep yourself warm.

Source: YouTube

The More You Know: It's official. I hate James Taylor. Sorry, people who think classic folk rock isn't a fucking assault on the ears.

Why do people kiss under the mistletoe?

Search: mistletoe; mistletoe kissing

Why: Why?

Answer: The ancient Druids believed mistletoe to be a magical plant that could cure illness, protect against witchcraft, and make sterile animals fertile. They held feasts and sacrificed white bulls underneath it. Ancient Scandinavians viewed mistletoe as a plant of peace. If enemies met by chance beneath it, they disarmed and maintained a truce until the next day. This led to kissing under the mistletoe, but also fits with this Norse myth:

Baldur's mother was the Norse goddess, Frigga. When Baldur was born, Frigga made each and every plant, animal and inanimate object promise not to harm Baldur. But Frigga overlooked the mistletoe plant - and the mischievous god of the Norse myths, Loki, took advantage of this oversight. Ever the prankster, Loki tricked one of the other gods into killing Baldur with a spear fashioned from mistletoe. The demise of Baldur, a vegetation deity, brought winter into the world. The gods did eventually restore Baldur to life, and Frigga pronounced the mistletoe sacred, ordering that from now on it should bring love rather than death into the world. Happily complying with Frigga's wishes, any two people passing under the plant from now on would celebrate Baldur's resurrection by kissing under the mistletoe.

The plant is also associated with ancient erotica.

• It is thought to be an aphrodisiac and a fertility herb.
• It may possess abortifacient qualities, which would help explain its association with uninhibited sexuality.
• Greek festivals and marital ceremonies involve exchanging kisses under the mistletoe.
• In France, the tradition was reserved for New Year's Day - "Au gui l'An neuf" (Mistletoe for the New Year).
  
• If a couple in love kisses under the mistletoe, it is a promise to marry, as well as a prediction of happiness and long life.

Ancient Anglo-Saxons associate the powers of mistletoe with Freya, the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. A man had to kiss any girl who accidentally found herself a sprig of the plant hanging from the ceiling. After each kiss, the man would pluck a berry from the mistletoe. When all the berries were gone, the kissing stopped.

Source: About.com, CoolQuiz.com/trivia

The More You Know: Two things!

1. Mistletoe is a parasitic shrub that grows in trees. It puts its roots into its hosts to steal nutrients. Scandal! It looks like this:

2. The word mistletoe means "dung on a twig." Pre-scientific Europeans noted that the plant burst forth - as if by magic - on branches where birds had pooped. Mistel is the ancient Anglo-Saxon word for "dung," and tan means "twig."

What's the origin of the word mischief?

Search: mischief etymology

Why: In Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992):

I'm traveling with my dad. He's at a meeting. I hate meetings. Plus I'm not allowed to go in. I can only sit in the lobby. That's boring. So he dropped me off here. He gave me his credit card and told me to give this to whoever was welcoming people in so I won't get into mischief. And ma'am, sometimes I do get into mischief. We all do!

Answer: It sorta means "bad head." A history of mischief!

• c.1300, "evil condition, misfortune, need, want" from O.Fr. meschief (Fr. méchef)
• verbal noun from meschever "come or bring to grief, be unfortunate" (opposite of achieve)
• from mes- "badly" + chever "happen, come to a head," from V.L. *capare "head," from L. caput "head"
  
• Meaning "harm or evil considered as the work of some agent or due to some cause" is from late 15c.
  
• Sense of "playful malice" first recorded 1784.
• Mischief Night in 19c. England was the eve of May Day and of Nov. 5, both major holidays, and perhaps the original point was pilfering for the next day's celebration and bonfire; but in Yorkshire, Scotland, and Ireland the night was Halloween.

Source: EtymOnline

The More You Know:

Get it on a shirt!

How do you say "you're welcome" in French?

Search: you're welcome in french

Why: While decorating for the Christmas party, which is apparently Hawaiian themed, David found the tape.

CHARISSE: Merci.
DAVID: Umm, you're welcome in French.

Answer: It depends who you're talking to!

• De rien (literally, “it’s nothing") - most common, if talking to a friend
  
• Je vous en prie - more formal, the most polite
• Il n’y a pas de quoi - super casual, like "no problem"
  

Source: Blurtit, Word Reference forums

The More You Know: My camera phone is being a real whore today and only producing teeny little shots, but here's what everything looks like so far. I don't know.

Why are Christmas colors red and green?

Search: why are christmas colors red and green

Why: I have been Christmasing up my Farm(ville) even though I am of the Yehudim (and because Farmville does not have a giant menorah for sale).

Behold.

Answer: Green = life, red = death (blood [of Jesus]):

Plants depend on chlorophyll for life. With respect to Christmas, green symbolizes the hope for eternal life that Jesus offers. Evergreen trees are green and are commonly associated with Christmas as are many Christmas lights, Christmas ornaments and bows.

Red is intended to symbolize the blood of Jesus. Santa sports red with his popular costume. Most Christmas decorations contain some red too.

The combination of the Christmas colors red and green are also part of annual Christmas celebrations. Holly, which consists of green leaves and red berries, is meant to incorporate both red and green to symbolize life and blood.

Another theory about the origin of the colors dates back to the 1300s, when "Adam and Eve's Day" (?) was celebrated on Dec. 24th. Because so many people were illiterate, churches put on "Miracle Plays" as teaching tools. It was too cold for a real apple tree prop, so they tied apples to the branches of pine trees to serve as the Tree of Knowledge. This idea spread, and soon everyone did it. The modern-day Christmas tree tradition was born, and the official colors of the Christmas season became green and red – green for the pine tree and red for the apples – the combination of which represented the "Paradise Tree," which made its debut in the 14th century.

Eventually, this tree was also decorated with small white wafers – symbolizing the Holy Eucharist – to remind people that, while Adam and Eve were responsible for the fall of mankind, the birth and death of Jesus would reverse it all.

Source: Christmas Lore, Essortment

The More You Know: Red became more popularly associated with Santa Claus due to Coca Cola's depiction of him starting in the 1930s:

What's the music in the Seroquel commercial?

Search: badly drawn boy about

Why: I know it is by Badly Drawn Boy from the album / movie About a Boy. I have the soundtrack (and the movie, for that matter - I love it), but not the track listing (because it is burned).

Answer: It's called "I Love NYE." Here is some weird video with that song:

Source: Amazon

The More You Know: My favorite song on that album is "Donna and Blitzen." Once, while I was waiting in the "cell phone lot" near the airport, I listened to this song like 8 times in a row. It's seasonally appropriate!

How many Jacksons are there?

Search: joe jackson

Why: I just heard a Jackson 5 version of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."

Michael Jackson was awesome.

Answer: 10! To parents Joe and Katherine:

1. Rebbie (Maureen Reillette Jackson Brown) - b. 5/29/50
2. Jackie (Sigmund Esco Jackson) - b. 5/4/51
3. Tito (Toriano Adaryll Jackson) - b. 10/15/53
4. Jermaine La Jaune Jackson - b. 12/11/54
5. La Toya Yvonne Jackson - b. 5/29/56
6. Marlon David Jackson - b. 3/12/57
   
7. Brandon - b. 3/12/57 (died at birth)
8. Michael Joseph Jackson - b. 8/29/58 (d. 6/25/09)
9. Randy (Steven Randall Jackson) - b. 10/29/61
10. Janet Damita Jo Jackson - b. 5/16/66

and allegedly to Joe's longtime mistress Cheryl Terrell:

11. Joh'Vonnie Jackson - b. 1974

Source: Wikipedia

The More You Know: Maybe you are interested in some of the funny things these people named their children:

• Jaffar (Jermaine)
  
• Jermajesty (Jermaine)
  
• Jourdynn (Jermaine)
• Paris-Michael (Michael)
• Prince Michael Jackson II (Michael)
• Royalty (Tito's son Tito)
• Sigmund Esco (Jackie)
• Steveanna (Randy)
  
• Taryll Adren Jackson (Tito)
• Tito Joe "TJ" (Tito)
• Toriano Adaryll "Taj" (Tito)
• Valencia (Marlon)
  
• Yashi (Rebbie)

Also, you may be interested to know that Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza bore Randy 2 kids in 1991 and 92, and then bore Jermaine 2 sons in 1996 and 2000. Classy!

Was Dwight's "onlys and justs" proverb real?

Search: onlys and justs candies nuts; onlies and justs candies nuts; unte danch; unte donch; und danc fest; unde danke; unte danch fest; ernte donch fest

Why: Tonight on "The Office," Dwight Schrute said:

If onlys and justs were candies and nuts
Then every day would be Ernte Dank Fest

Answer: No! Though maybe it's something like:

If "ifs" and "buts" were candy and nuts, wouldn't it be a Merry Christmas?

which may have been said by the football player Don Meredith, patterned after a Scottish proverb about horses and turnips and swords, or:

If ifs and ands were pots and pans
We'd be washing up forever.

Source: Google!

The More You Know: Erntedankfest (the "harvest festival of thanks") is Thanksgiving in Germany. It is primarily a rural and a religious celebration, usually celebrated the 1st Sunday in October . When it is celebrated in larger cities, it is usually part of a church service and not anything like the big traditional family holiday in North America.

A typical Erntedankfest celebration at Berlin's Evangelisches Johannesstift Berlin (the Protestant/evangelische Johannesstift Church) is an all-day affair held in late September. A typical Fest begins with a service at 10:00 am. A Thanksgiving procession is held at 2:00 pm and concludes with the presenting of the traditional "harvest crown" (Erntekrone). At 3:00 pm there's music ("von Blasmusik bis Jazz"), dancing, and food inside and outside the church. A 6:00 pm evening service is followed by a lantern and torch parade (Laternenumzug) for the kids — with fireworks! The ceremonies end around 7:00 pm.

How old are Jenna Elfman and Bridget Fonda?

Search: bodhi elfman

Why: I was just watching The Nightmare Before Christmas, starring Danny Elfman (as Jack Skellington). Danny is married to Bridget Fonda. Danny's nephew Bodhi Elfman is married to Jenna Elfman.

Answer: It's like this:

• Richard Elfman (Danny's brother, Bodhi's father) - b. March 1949 (60)
• Danny Elfman - b. May 1953 (56)
• Bridget Fonda - b. Jan. 1964 (45)
• Bodhi Elfman - b. July 1969 (40)
• Jenna Elfman - b. Sept. 1971 (38)

Source: Wikipedia

The More You Know: Some of the children's names out of this crew include Story Elias and Mali. Richard and Danny's mother is a novelist named Blossom.

Also,

What is the origin of the word "hoopla"?

Search: hoopla

Why: I just typed it.

Answer: It's for sure French, from around 1870. Maybe from houp-là! - a command (as to a child) to move, take a step; or like "upsy-daisy," also a cry to dogs, horses, etc.

Source: Dictionary.com, EtymOnline

The More You Know: Sometimes it sounds like Alvin wants a "hoopla hoop."