Interesting Things with JC #031: "Saying What You Mean in Britain" - Unravel the intricacies of British communication, where euphemisms and understatement have deep historical roots in Victorian etiquette. This episode explores how phrases like “I might join you later” and “not bad” reflect a cultural preference for modesty and politeness, shaping interactions in intriguing ways.

Interesting Things with JC #501: "Candy Canes" - The candy cane was created in the 17th century in Germany and popularized in the early 1900s with added red stripes.

Interesting Things with JC #499: "Holiday Garland' - Deck the Halls and Hang the Garland! Just be careful where you put your baubles!!

Interesting Things with JC #469: "I-35 Little Czech Bakery" - They sell fresh Czech pastries, coffee, travel pillows, and tamales, and is a typical Texas rest stop too. A poster in the store says that each week, the Czech Stop bakes with more than 1,200 pounds of cream cheese, 9,000 pounds of flour, 750 gallons of milk, 2,400 pounds of butter, 1,300 pounds of sausage, 2,100 dozen eggs, and 2,500 pounds of American cheese.

They’re the home of Kolache (pronounced "koh-LAH-chee") and klobasnek (pronounced "klo-BAH-snik") which are Czech pastries that is wildly popular in Texas.

Interesting Things with JC #457: "Sneezing Can Break Your Ribs" - You could break a rib if you sneeze too hard!

Interesting Things with JC #456: "Tongue Prints" - Like fingerprints, each person has a unique tongue print. The tongue is an important organ inside the mouth that is well protected from the outside world. It has unique parts that are different for each person, even between identical twins.

Interesting Things with JC #426: "Birthmarks and Reincarnation" - From a medical perspective, birthmarks are simply the result of excess skin pigment or increased blood vessels. However, there are beliefs related to the significance of birthmarks, both good and bad, in many cultures and religions around the world, passed from one generation to the next.

Interesting Things with JC #298 "Ceiling Fan Direction" should be changed in the summer and winter to give you more comfort and spend less on your heating and cooling needs!

Interesting Things with JC #291: "Budapest" known as the city of diversity and as the city of a thousand baths. This beautiful Capitol has a rich history officially dating back to 896. Let's visit Budapest together!

Interesting Things with JC #262: "Bergen, Norway" - The original Norse name for Bergen was Bjørgvin. Playwright Ludvig Holberg nicknamed it the city of the seven mountains! There are amazing Stave churches, and inspiring hikes within the picturesque landscape that will not only inspire, but also captivate your senses.

This podcast was inspired by the writings of David Nikel. David is a British-Norwegian travel writer in Trondheim, a Senior Forbes contributor & owner of lifeinnorway. Please visit https://www.lifeinnorway.net/ to catch a recent podcast or follow David on Twitter @DavidNikel for more fascinating facts about all things Norway!

Interesting Things with JC #261: “Kiribati” is made up of 33 atolls, these are ring-shaped reefs or a series of islands caused by submerged volcanos. Out of the 33 islands that all straddle the equator, and only 20 are inhabited. Although it only takes up a total of 811sq kilometers, Kiribati spans a distance equal to an area that is roughly the size of India, and it's the only country to fall within the northern, southern, eastern and western hemispheres. Kiribati is the third-least visited country in the world. Around 6,000 visitors come here annually. Only the Pacific island-nations of the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu receive fewer tourists.

Interesting Things with JC #257: "Mud Daubers” - they are commonly known in the southern part of the United States as dirt daubers. They are truly fascinating insects. If you have ever seen a tube-shaped nest made with mud on the outside walls of your house or possibly inside your garage, then you know what a mud dauber is. One of the most interesting things about these creatures is that….(go ahead click play!)

Interesting Things with JC #255: "Quantum Locking” - Quantum levitation is a process where scientists use the properties of quantum physics to levitate an object over a magnetic source. Quantum Locking is very distinct from traditional magnetic levitation. The object can be moved, rotated, tilted, and it stays locked in mid air!

Interesting Things with JC #252: "Do Animals Sneeze?” All animals from humans to dogs, elephants, horses, tigers, bears and birds sneeze. But aquatic animals cannot sneeze as they don’t have lungs.

Interesting Things with JC #250: "Samar Island" - was the first island of the Philippines sighted by the Spanish expedition led by Ferdinand Magellan. It's home to Asia’s 2nd largest cave system – the Langon-Gobingob Caves in Calbiga. Samar features some of the best foods in the region!

Interesting Things with JC #249: "The Brevard Zoo" is a 75-acre nonprofit facility located in Melbourne, Florida, United States, that is home to more than 800 animals representing more than 180 species from Florida, South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. It is the largest community-built zoo in the world. Please visit https://brevardzoo.org/ for more information!

Interesting Things with JC #247: "Melbourne Florida”. Originally known as Crane Creek, this area was inhabited in 1878, and shortly afterward the community got renamed to Melbourne. Melbourne continued to thrive economically and the early 1950s saw the city get to even newer heights. A space complex was constructed to the north at Cape Canaveral and subsequently, there was an influx of other aerospace industries. There's the world renown historic bone bed and the childhood home of Jim Morrison is also in Melbourne!

Interesting Things with JC #243: "Shrek the Sheep" - After evading humans for years, on April 15th 2004 in a cave in New Zealand, Shrek the Sheep was finally caught. The merino sheep had grown an amazing 27kg or 60lbs worth of fleece during this time.

Interesting Things with JC #242: "Charles Lightoller" was trapped underwater after helping save people as the Titanic sank. A boiler exploded and sent him rushing back to the surface where he helped 30 more people. In WW2 he helped save another 127 people at Dunkirk.

Interesting Things with JC #240: “Belgian Waffles” - There are many different types of Belgian waffles, there is no such thing as a singular Belgian Waffle. The two most popular types of waffles that you'll find are Brussels waffles and Liege waffles.