Bathroom Readers Institute - The Best of the Best of Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader

By the
Bathroom Readers Institute

Bathroom Readers Press
San Diego, California

THE BEST OF THE BEST OF UNCLE JOHNS
BATHROOM READER

Copyright 2008 Portable Press

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Portable Press/The Bathroom Readers Institute

An imprint of Printers Row Publishing Group

10350 Barnes Canyon Road, Suite 100

San Diego, CA 92121

www.bathroomreader.com

e-mail: mail@bathroomreader.com

Printers Row Publishing Group is a division of Readerlink Distribution Services, LLC.

The Portable Press, Bathroom Readers Institute, and Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader names and logos are trademarks of Readerlink Distribution Services, LLC.

All correspondence concerning the content of this book should be addressed to Portable Press/The Bathroom Readers Institute, Editorial Department, at the above address.

Articles in this Best Of edition have been included from the following books: Uncle Johns Ultimate Bathroom Reader 1996; Uncle Johns Giant 10th Anniversary Bathroom Reader 1997; Uncle Johns Great Big Bathroom Reader 1998; Uncle Johns Absolutely Absorbing Bathroom Reader 1999; Uncle Johns All-Purpose Extra Strength Bathroom Reader 2000; Uncle Johns Supremely Satisfying Bathroom Reader 2001; Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader Plunges Into History 2001; Uncle Johns Ahh-Inspiring Bathroom Reader 2002; Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader Plunges Into the Universe 2002; Uncle Johns Unstoppable Bathroom Reader 2003; Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Great Lives 2003; Uncle Johns Colossal Collection of Quotable Quotes 2004; Uncle Johns Slightly Irregular Bathroom Reader 2004; Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader Plunges Into the Presidency 2004; Uncle Johns Presents Moms Bathtub Reader 2004; Uncle Johns Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader 2005; Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader Tees Off on Golf 2005; Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Hollywood 2005; Uncle Johns Curiously Compelling Bathroom Reader 2006; Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader Wonderful World of Odd 2006; Uncle Johns Tales to Inspire 2006; Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader Extraordinary Book of Facts 2006; Uncle Johns Quintessential Collection of Notable Quotables for Every Conceivable Occasion 2006; Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Music 2007; Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader Plunges Into National Parks 2007; Uncle Johns Bathroom Reader Takes a Swing at Baseball 2008; Uncle Johns Triumphant 20th Anniversary Bathroom Reader 2007.

Cover design by Michael Brunsfeld, San Rafael, CA ()

ISBN-13: 978-1-60710-683-8

E-book edition: September 2012

The Bathroom Readers Institute sincerely thanks the people whose advice and assistance made this book possible.

Gordon Javna

Amy Miller

Jay Newman

Brian Boone

John Dollison

Thom Little

Julia Papps

JoAnn Padgett

Melinda Allman

Michael Brunsfeld

Angela Kern

Malcolm Hillgartner

Jahnna Beecham

The Three Jeffs

Sue Steiner

Stephanie Spadaccini

John Scalzi

Art Montague

Larry Kelp

Sydney Stanley

Scarab Media

Lisa Meyers

David Cully

Ginger Winters

Monica Maestas

Lilian Nordland

Sarah Rosenberg

Kent, Mary & Sue

Mom & Dad

(Mr.) Mustard Press

Steven Style Group

John Javna

Eddie Deezen

Julie Bgin

Elise Gochberg

Publishers Group West

Al The Brain MacDougall

Paddy Laidley

Raincoast Books

Laurel Graziano

Porter the Wonder Dog

Thomas Crapper

and the many writers, editors, and other contributors who have helped make Uncle John the bathroom fixture he is today.

Because the BRI understands your reading needs, weve divided the contents by length as well as subject.
Shorta quick read
Medium2 to 3 pages
Longfor those extended visits, when something a little more involved is required
* Extendedfor those leg-numbing experiences

W elcome to what we modestly consider the very best Bathroom Readerever! If youre new to our series, then this is the perfect way to get acquainted with the Bathroom Readers Institute, a dedicated team of trivia hounds founded by Uncle John in 1987. Since then, weve created an immense movement thats still being felt the world over.

As some of you longtime readers know, we did a Best of edition in 1995. For that one, we only had seven books to choose from. But since then weve been busy. How busy? Well, this second Best of (which makes an excellent companion to the first one) contains our favorite selections from more than 25 Bathroom Readers! So we were able to carefully pick and choose the pinnacle of what our book series has to offer. There really are some amazing stories in here. For example

The harrowing tale of the jumbo jet that became a jumbo glider

The deadly legacy of the miniscule mosquito

Two men youve never heard of: one who caused the most environmental damage ever, and another who saved a billion lives

Super spies, luxurious bomb shelters, and the top secret U.S. plans to invade Canada

The strange fate of Ted Williamss head, a spike through Phineas Gages head, and how to cook a shrunken head

Sharks with lights, the Body Farm, and the Suicide Song

Plus the best of the best of dumb crooks, strange lawsuits, court transquips, flubbed headlines, word and phrase origins, and more.

As you sit proudly with the most absorbing collection of bathroom reading ever to grace our pages, we want to thank you for being the best group of fans that any book series could hope for.

And as always, Go with the Flow!

Uncle John, the BRI staff, and Porter the Wonderdog

Which article came from which Bathroom Reader? Find out at www.bathroomreader.com.

Its always interesting to find out where the architects of pop culture get their ideas. These may surprise you.

G OLLUM. Andy Serkis provided the voice and movements for the character in the Lord of the Rings films. He based the voice on the sound of his cat coughing up a hairball. Special effects artists modeled Gollums wiry, bony frame on punk rocker Iggy Pop.

THE CHEVROLET INSIGNIA. In 1913 Billy Durant, founder of General Motors, liked the wallpaper pattern in a Paris hotel so much that he ripped off a piece and brought it back to Detroit to copy as the symbol for his new Chevrolet car.

WILE E. COYOTE AND ROAD RUNNER. Looney Tunes animator Chuck Jones created the pair in 1948. The idea was sparked by a passage from Mark Twains 1872 book Roughing It, about Twains travels through the Wild West as a young man. In the passage, Twain noted that the coyotes are starving and would chase a roadrunner.

VULCAN HAND SALUTE. Leonard Nimoy invented this for Mr. Spock during the filming of a Star Trek episode. The gesture was borrowed from the Jewish High Holiday services. The Kohanim (priests) bless the congregation by extending the palms of both handswith thumbs outstretched and the middle and ring fingers parted. Nimoy used the same gesture, only with one hand.