The word mondegreen is defined as a misheard word or phrase that makes sense in your head, but is, in fact, incorrect. The term was coined in a November 1954 Harper’s Bazaar piece, where the author, Sylvia Wright, recalled a childhood mishearing. According to the author, when she was young her mother would read to […]
Stacker
Posted inNews
23 astronomical events to look out for in 2023
Thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope, the first high-definition photos of outer space were able to be seen in 2022. Neat images of galaxies, constellations, nebulae, black holes, and much more were captured by the successor to the obsolete Hubble. While screens glow with the sharpness and brightness of the pictures taken by Webb, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
From coast to coast: The best regional fast-food chains to try
Beloved fast-food chains are scattered across the country, even stretching past international borders. McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s are three of the most common burger chains across the country, along with other treasured chains like Subway, KFC, and Starbucks. The love for quick-service food certainly has expanded. According to an IBISWorld tally, there are 197,163 fast-food […]
Posted inArts & Culture
20 of the best Christmas albums of all time
Perhaps more than any other holiday season, Christmas is full of nostalgia. As the years go on, whether anyone likes it or not, it can be nearly impossible to avoid memories of the seasons that have passed and Christmas traditions around the tree, whether spent with family or alone. As different as those holiday memories […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Best Christmas movies of all time, according to critics
Since well before Thanksgiving, streaming and cable networks have featured Christmas movies in anticipation of the season. Some wholesome classics, like “Miracle on 34th Street” or “It’s a Wonderful Life,” have stood as holiday standards for generations. Others are forging new traditions, with prolific holiday production house Hallmark premiering new offerings every year and streamers […]
Posted inNews
How to ensure your pet has a happy and healthy holiday season
The holidays are on their way, which means gatherings, mountains of food, and other joyful things you’ve been waiting for all year. It’s a temporary yet merry shift in the schedule that your pets will no doubt sense. The extra people in the house might unsettle them, and they may wonder why their family is […]
Posted inNews
50 of the best Christmas movies of all time
The holidays have arrived, and that makes now the time to revisit history’s most beloved Christmas movies. But what is a Christmas movie, exactly? So goes a question that continues to be hashed out on the internet, with titles such as “Die Hard” inspiring heated levels of debate. As if to fan the flames, the […]
Posted inNews
What Christmas was like the year you were born
On Christmas Day in 1914, British and German troops emerged from the trenches of World War I as weeks of bad weather cleared and called a truce. It was spontaneous and not approved by any higher-ups, but many soldiers on both sides ended up taking part. Soccer games were played between the British and German […]
Posted inFood & Drink
38 Christmas side dishes
Preparing Christmas dinner can be intimidating: expectations are high, especially when guests have long-held favorite dishes in mind. If you’re lucky, though, you’ll only be responsible for bringing a side dish. Stacker compiled this list of 38 Christmas side dishes using recipes from Allrecipes. There are plenty to choose from; depending on your level of ambition, […]
Posted inWeather
20 of the most destructive winter storms of the 21st century
Catastrophic weather events can follow predictable meteorological models, but the difference between rain and snow can be razor-thin. When such events—especially winter storms—occur in remote areas, in states with traditionally warm temperatures, or spring up out of season, the results can be disastrous and expensive. States like Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, and the Dakotas are […]
Posted inNews
Counties with the longest life expectancy in Rhode Island
Kenneth C. Zirkel // Wikimedia Commons Counties with the longest life expectancy in Rhode Island Life expectancy in the United States has generally been on the rise, with rare exceptions for certain segments of the population. Between 1960 and 2019, the life expectancy of Americans rose by roughly a decade to the age of 79. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Best documentaries of 2022
BMG Best documentaries of 2022 Often overlooked in favor of narrative features, documentary films can be just as engaging—if not more so. If you’re someone who doesn’t normally watch documentaries but is curious to check out a few good ones, 2022 was a banner year for nonfiction filmmaking. These include films from all over the […]
Posted inNews
States that have increased taxes the most in the last four decades
chayanuphol // Shutterstock States that have increased taxes the most in the last four decades Depending on where you live in the U.S., your state and local taxes may have shifted over the last year. The feared decline in American spending at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic never fully materialized as stimulus and pandemic […]
Posted inArts & Culture
23 actors you’ll be hearing all about in 2023
Rich Polk/Getty Images for MTV // Getty Images 23 actors you’ll be hearing all about in 2023 Following #OscarsSoWhite, the #MeToo movement, and increased demands for representation on social media, the film and television industry has undergone an impressive series of changes in the past few years. Since 2011, the presence of actors who aren’t […]
Posted inArts & Culture
25 iconic movies that are so bad they’re good
Revolution Studios 25 iconic movies that are so bad they’re good With so many films in production each year—over 940 in 2021, according to the annual Motion Picture Association Theme Report—there are bound to be a few duds mixed in with the award winners and box office hits. Movies are as varied as the taste […]
Posted inNews
How much do Americans spend on entertainment?
Canva How much do Americans spend on entertainment? From Beyoncé to Netflix to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the United States has long provided the world with entertainment of all kinds. But what role does the average American have as a consumer of entertainment? The act of consuming—enjoying music, movies, books, and other forms of entertainment—has […]
Posted inArts & Culture
30 best Netflix shows for binge-watching over the holidays
Blur Studio 30 best Netflix shows for binge-watching over the holidays Today’s sprawling television landscape has a never-ending supply of new and original offerings from streaming services. No matter which service reigns supreme, Netflix will always be the progenitor of the online streaming trend. With its vast library of original content, the ubiquitous platform also […]
Posted inArts & Culture
25 of the best holiday movies you didn’t realize were holiday movies
What makes a Christmas movie? Most moviegoers will be quick to tell you that there’s a difference between a proper holiday movie like “Elf” or “Home Alone” and other holiday-adjacent movies like “Die Hard” or “Gremlins.” And while we may not have a definitive answer either—Is it the setting? The number of Christmas trees or […]
Posted inNews
Beautiful photos of Christmas markets around the world
Christmas markets are a quintessential holiday tradition in Europe. Nearly every city, regardless of size, likely has at least one open-air bazaar that pops up sometime between mid-November and early December to sell holiday tchotchkes and treats. These advent markets aren’t a modern-day invention, either. They’ve been around for centuries. The first recorded instance dates […]
Posted inNews
Does your area have a high homeowner or rental vacancy rate? This is what data shows
James R. Martin // Shutterstock Does your area have a high homeowner or rental vacancy rate? This is what data shows With the real estate market cooling off in many places, home buyers and renters may hope to score deals. One indicator of the potential for price changes is an area’s vacancy rate. The homeowner […]
Posted inReal Estate
From colonial to craftsman homes: How 18 popular American architectural styles evolved
The story of American architecture has followed much of the same path as art has over the past 400 years. Art, as a whole, tends to move from classical to abstract, and architecture is no exception. From the American colonial homes of the 1600s and the Cape Cod style that defined the first housing developments […]
Posted inReal Estate
Homeowners completed 134 million renovation projects since 2019—these were the most common
Homeowners spent more on home remodeling projects in 2021 than in the previous four years—20% more, spending a total of $624 billion in 2020 and 2021 combined. Motivated by increased time at home, Americans tackled 134 million renovation projects, crossing off some indefinitely postponed projects at the bottom of the to-do list. While some industries […]
Posted inNews
How to prepare for holiday travel with a pet
The holiday season is quickly approaching, which heralds a number of enjoyable events and time off for travel. As people make vacation plans, the 7 in 10 U.S. households with pets have to decide whether to take their furry family members along or leave them in the hands of a sitter. Fortunately, there are solutions […]
Posted inNews
Rhode Island ranked 20th on list of states with the most active hate groups
The number of active hate groups in the U.S. has been declining since 2018, a trend that may be surprising considering the fact that hate crimes are on the rise, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Furthermore, the actions of extremist groups—including those that instigated and participated in the Jan. 6 capitol insurrection—seem more […]
Posted inFood & Drink
How people ordered meals online in 2022, according to DoorDash
It seems everyone craves takeout lately—and the numbers prove it. A recent report from online food ordering company DoorDash found a 15% year-over-year growth for same-store pickup orders using their app and an 11% growth for same-store delivery orders. Additionally, 37% of respondents ordered delivery more often than last year, and 41% said the same […]