Sokushinbutsu
on Nov 18, 2009 in Religion You ever hear the phrase, "live like you're dying?"  Sokushinbutsu is basically what happened when Buddhist monks took that saying literally. Sokushinbutsu is the process by which a small group of Buddhists lived so that they would become perfec...

ETAOIN SHRDLU
on Nov 17, 2009 in Technology Language If you've ever watched Wheel of Fortune, the letters R-S-T-L-N-E mean something to you.  They are the letters every winning contestant receives for help on the bonus puzzle.  The reasons for the show using those letters is obvious, they are...

Things that end in -gate week
on Nov 16, 2009 in Wikipedia Legend Next week, Wikipedia Legend will take you on a tour of everyone's favorite suffix.  We will be discussing the best scandals ending in "-gate."  So be sure to keep reading, and get ready for...Things that end in "-gate" week!

Kilroy Was Here
on Nov 16, 2009 in Pop culture Things named after people Art As promised, here is an amazing Wikipedia article to make up for the short hiatus.According to legend, that little drawing has scaled Mount Everest, terrified Hitler, and watched Stalin use the bathroom.  The "Kilroy was here" graffito gained po...

Short hiatus
on Nov 13, 2009 in Wikipedia Legend There wasn't a post on Wikipedia Legend yesterday, nor will there be a proper post today.  We will be back on Monday with an awesome Wikipedia article, and an announcement of an upcoming Wikipedia Legend special report.Stay tuned.

Archie Karas
on Nov 11, 2009 in People Gambling Last night, ESPN ran a documentary about Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder, a legendary gambler and NFL Today commentator.  But Jimmy The Greek's stature as a high roller pales in comparison to the biggest gambler of all time, Archie Karas.Archie (born...

Hyperreality
on Nov 10, 2009 in Philosophy It's a hot summer day and you're out playing some pick-up basketball.  As you become thirsty, you decide to take a break.  You reach into your bag and pull out a Mondo-Berry flavored sports drink.  Just before you crack it open and div...

Fan Death
on Nov 9, 2009 in Culture There are a set of beliefs in South Korea regarding a secret evil that can kill you in your sleep.  That evil is the electric fan.Oh God no... wait, what?That's right.  Electric fans.  According to urban legends prevalent in South Kore...

The Other Vus Pt. 2: Presque Vu
on Nov 6, 2009 in Psychology We finish off our breakdown of vus with the most common and annoying of the three vus.  It's called presque vu, which means, "almost seen."  You know it better as, "tip of the tongue."  You're trying to think of a word, or the name of...

The Other Vus Pt. 1: Jamais Vu
on Nov 5, 2009 in Psychology We're all familiar with the eerie feeling of déjà vu.  Whether it's some type of psychological glitch or a change in the Matrix isn't entirely clear, but we've all felt it.  But, two other "vus" exist, and we're going to round out the wee...