by A. J. Jacobs
ethnic groups:baldness compared inOstrogoth-American
etymological underground
eunuchs, operatic
evasion strategies:create a distractionI'll-get-back-to-you trick
evolution, of typewriter
extinction, of passenger pigeons
facts:battle offudging ofmovie-interruptingswimming vs. drowning inTrebek's favoritesas trophies of the huntweird and crudeworld packed with
failures:in astronomyof cosmosin crossword puzzlesin Hitler assassination attemptin Millionaireat Waterloo
fame:names forgotten byscrewups recorded bysee also celebrities; greats
families:buttercupeminence inhippy
Family Feud, crossword puzzle-themed version of
Farrow, Dave, memory course of
fashion, brief history of
fertilitycollectibles andof efficiency guruexperimenting with rituals ofof rabbits
fetishes:breastfor cross-eyed womengumfor organizationin speed reading
Fibonacci series, Boggle scored with
1582, ten days skipped in
flagellation, fertility promoted by
flirty fishing, gospel and herpes spread by
folklore, elves in
food:in buffalo merchandise warscateredin eating contestecstasy andforeign, Carry Nation's assault ongreasy Italian fingerItalian weddingordering of, in Italyrestaurantrestrictions onwar overwashed by raccoons
football, how to talk about
form, good or bad, in chess
44, number of insanity attacks suffered by Charles VI of France
42,649, number of red deer killed by ruler of Saxony
Franklin, Benjamin, reasons to name yourself after
freezing point, misguided determination of
Freud, Sigmund, Marx preferred to
Frost, Robert, Harvard connection of
"fucking," infixing of
gagaku, Korean name for
Galton, Francis
games:cardscharadeshumiliationinventednumberSimon Sayssix-degrees-of-separationsee also crossword puzzles; word games
Garbo, Greta, little-known resume item of
gasoline, best time for purchase of
Genevieve:Alaskan crab legs sent as gift fromdustup delegated to
genius(es):animosity betweencapacity for bad behavior amongcounterintuitive facts aboutof Einsteinfresh air required forlinguisticin Mensapsychological problems ascribed totemperamentalthoroughly balancedsee also Mensa(ns)
germaphobia
g-forces, protection from
gnomons
God:fertility, of the Weekin Taiping Rebellionwaiting for stars to spell out
golf balls, dimples on
Google(ing):addiction toEB vs.for "erythrocyte""Jacobs" in
graduate thesis ideas:clothing colors and world history"The Scarlet Number"
grahamcracker, curious inventor of
Grandma, word police on trail of
Grant's Tomb, waiting to be asked about
grease, types of
Great EB, The (Kogan)
greats:compulsions ofcousins favored in marriage ofinteresting lives of
Greeks, ancient
hair:in BibledreadlocksJew-fromohawks
haircuts:army crewcut, origin offive-thousand-year-old
happiness, reaching peak of
Hare and Burke, corpse sales and service by
Harington, John, flush toilet fathered by
Harper's Index
Harvard University, notable graduates of
head-bobbing
head flattening
head-snapping technique
health concerns:cholesterol indisturbing facts ingermaphobia inhypochondria andpickles in
Helen of Troy, what she might launch today
hemorrhoids, famous fatal case of
heredity:in Jacobs familyof worldview
herpes, spiritual spread of
HiQ societies
history:cinnamon and chocolate inconstants incontradictions infew black-or-white hats infigures lost toflexibility an advantage inGreek, favored by EBGreeks vs. Romans ininterwovenness ofluck's huge part inpamphleteer's place inSix Degrees of Kevin Bacon interrorism in
Hitler, Adolf, failed assassination attempt on
Hoeflin, Ron:HiQ societies founded byas Millionaire lifelinephilosophical pursuits of
Hoiberg, Dale
Hollywood:antigerbil gossip inAztec idea stolen byfounding ofhumility plan forsee also movies
Holmes, Sherlock, organized mind of
Homo sapiens, faith in success of
Houdini, Harry:Conan Doyle's feud withfact checking onname chosen by
How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare (Beuys)
human beings, interaction with
humiliation games
humor:"being there" as aid toabout Burbanksee also jokes
Hustler, EB compared with
Huxley, Aldous, EB habit of
hypochondria, denial of
hypocrisy, uses of
illnesses, breakthrough
Impact of Rule 10b-5 (Jacobs Sr.)
impatience, advantages of
income, Mensan unsteadiness of
"index," indexing of
indexes, wit in
Indonesia, rare cone shell of
infixes, examples of
information:appetites forcounterintuitivehaboobinaccuratememory limited foroptimism-inspiringquest for meaning inrisk in sharing oftrees vs. forest ofsee also knowledge
insults:EB-worthyfingerunderdog group co-opting of
intellectual competition
intelligence:crystallized vs. fluiddefining ofFrancis Bacon's pursuit ofHasidic competition andin HiQ societieswisdom vs.see also IQ
international criminal law, editing article on
interviews, for Millionaire
inventors, close-but-no-cigar
IQ:high, balancing on one foot associated within marveling at keyssee also genius(es); intelligence
IQ tests
Iraq:embedding inwar with
Italy, Rick and Ilene's Jewish wedding in
Jacob, of Bible fame
Jacobs, A. J.:in the AsBeavis moments overcome bybrain atrophy ofbrain damage feared byconfrontation avoided byconversation stopping ascribed tocourtship strategy ofcrossword debacle ofcultural prejudices ofdebating techniques ofdepression ofepistemology bypassed byethical relativism eschewed byevasion strategies ofexposure courted byfacial feedback tried byfashion issues offavorite compulsions offull name ofGandhi as heralding hope forhidden allusions missed byhypochondria denied byhypothetical Britannica entry forintellectual rise and decline ofJeopardy off-limits tojournalistic start ofas late sleeperMarxist school days ofmemorizing system ofMensa membership ofMillionaire trials ofmotion efficiencies ofat Ns in Venicenude posing ofas one-time smartest boy in the worldoverstuffed mind ofparts of speech apparently an issue forreligious inclination ofremembering name ofrhetorical devices favored bysending wine toas seventy-five trillion cells, for a starttwo-thirds of historical event attended byunintended atonality ofuniqueness as goal of
Jacobs, Arnold. J., Sr.:achievement ofAJ's Britannica entry forAJ's feat hailed byAJ's interaction withas beach-chair scholarbuffalo fabrications ofByzantine practical jokes ofchildren's FAQs known toethical relativism as seen byGenghis fixation ofhigh school education ofinteraction withon light speedmid-Bs reached bymissing kids oforigin of AJ's rivalry withparty behavior ofquasi-Asimov achievements ofRenaissance Man ideal of
Jacobs, Berylin Alaskachemical symbol fordaughter born tomoral sense ofSeymour's bouncy visit to
Jacobs, Ellen Kheel:AJ's cheating incident andAJ's reading habits deplored byDeadhead message heard byin mother-son bonding tripmultitasking rejected bypigeons as viewed bypractical mind-set oftelegonic perspective on
Jacobs, JasperAJ's preparation forgender observed innaming ofsonogramsof
Jacobs, Julie Schoenberg:AJ quizzed byAJ restrained byAJ's cranial capacity known byAJ's crush reve
aled toAJ's Mensa membership andbirthday expanded byon Britannica prospectbuying flowers forcanned crying not needed bycelebratory dinner provided byEB disappointing tofury provoked inHanukkah present ofherb-related aid toimpressive sleep attainments ofJ-volume comment ofmarriage oforganizing fetish ofOscar party ofpregnancy of; see also Jacobs, JasperSherwood Schwartz sitcoms known by"what, what, what?" thing not tried out on
Jacobs family, AJ's models in
Jamie:adult ed class ofat crossword tournament with AJ
Jane, Aunt
Jefferson, ThomasAdams predeceased by
Jeopardy, trying out for
Jesus:actual birth date ofEaster Bunny andeditorial mischief on
Jews, Judaismchess-playinglore ofmenstruation taboo inunder Nazis
jokes:about bartender and Descartesmoon-in-waterpoop-culturepop-culture
Jupiter, Julie's rash thoughtlessly compared to Great Red Spot of
Kennedy, Edward M., "Punctual Guy" meeting with
Kheel, Ted
kings named Charles, abundance of
know-it-all, Mr., see knowledge displays
knowledge:clustering of (cannibalism, syphilis, oneeye blinded men, e.g.)in conversational gambitscreative solutions arising fromfor crossword successFaustian thirst forflexibility an advantage ingeneral vs. specializedJacobs men in love withmacabrenormal gaps inphilosophy ofPlato's theory ofin post-Britannica summaryrecurring themes inself-
knowledge displays:in the AsBritishisms inin chess gameon corianderon earthof eleven-year-old Douglase-mails used inof Ericin father-son matchon "The Fire Next Time"guessing inon head-snapping techniqueJulie as restraining influence onat Mensan conventionon Millionaireat New-York Historical Societyon pediatricson picklespotential for humiliation inon sportson timein viewing Shanghai Knights
Kogan, Herman
Koning, Hans, on Eleventh Edition
Krantz, David, memorization explained by
lacrosse, lacrosse word vs.
language(s):eleven-year-old genius onEB's help in translation ofpretentiousridiculous imprecision ofsexist, fruitist, and antianimalsee also words
Latin, life-saving role of
lawyers, "lovely group of people" as
learning, embracing joy of
legal proceedings:first U.S. insanity plea inodd
Lego robotics, career as instructor in
Les, learning speed reading with
libido, dampening of
Lies and Fallacies of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, The (McCabe)
life:chaos ofpassing by ofphilosophy of, Fitzgerald vs. Fleming onas "sad piece of buffoonery"secret ofutopian view of
ligature
light speed:novel yardstick fortime and
Limbaugh, Rush, positive side of
limerick, G-rated
Lisa (friend), earth explained to
loopholes:in "benefit of clergy"biblicalin colonial timesMensanof religious menin wills
losers, lacrosse players giggled at by
Louis XIV, King of France:bioweapons suppressed byfontange affixed in court of
Louis XV, King of France:Encyclopedie tolerated byhunting days of
Luciano, Lucky, war effort aided by
Luther, Martin, theses not really nailed by
McCabe, Joseph
Macropaedia
Madonna, Britannica-speak view of
males, selfish tool behavior of
Manhattan, Indian sale of
Manhattanites, huge nonflying flock of
marriage(s):of AJ's parentsAristotelian view ofassortative mating inbrief history ofclose-knitfidelity in, of pigeonsafter Long Marchand Pueblo moccasin divorceShaw's apparent celibacy inShaw's famous quote onof Solomonof twins (to each other)
MarshallChess Club, boosting intelligence at
Marti, Aunt
Marx, Karl
meaningful cross-referencing, see cross-referencing, meaningful
melee, memorizing definition of
Melville, Herman, dismissive 1941 write-up of
memorization, nothing bypassed in
memory:Dave Farrow's course andEbbinghaus curve ofsee also Operation Britannica, retention issue in
Mensa(ns):characteristics observed inconvention ofconversations ofcrass drunkenness ofmembership inobesity ofpuns andsweetness and humility wanting intrivia contest of
Metamorphosis of Ajax, The (Harington)
metric system
Micropaedia
mind:as atticas newly painted shack
mistakes and misinformation:even EB not free ofof successful know-it-alls
mistresses, in Mussolini family
mob, wartime help from
Moore, Demi, Hawthorne revised by
Morozov, Paulik, that odious little schmuck
mosquitoes, yellow fever transmitted by
movie ideas:The Great Metric CaperHail to the Freakin' Chief (president afflicted with Tourette's syndrome)Julia Child, chef by day, spy by nightLumiere factory film remakea romance between Civil War enemiesYoung Gandhi
movies:first talkie, surprisinglyleaving early atoverheard inaccuracies intolerable length ofunasked questions about
movie stars, geographic knowledge of
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, Salieri's friendship with
music:gagaku (a-ak)rap
Mussolini, Benito, serious relationship issues of
myths, of conception
Nabokov, Vladimir
names:apotropaicbastardization ofcoincidences incolorful, in sportsfamous, determined by chanceill-advisedof Jacobs babyJulie's list ofreassessment offor victims of practical jokes
Napoleon I, Emperor of the French:hesitation and Waterloo loss ofidiosyncratic portrait of
Native Americans, warfare of
nature, Woody Allen's view of
negative side:of AJ, the Mensanof Jeffersonof natural worldof reading
Neptune, English astronomer's careless loss of
Newton, Isaac, unorthodox thumbing of
New Yorker
New York Timescrosswords of
nicknames:eighth-gradeof politicians not to trustin sports
nipples:caviar onJodie Foster'sopossumpresidential
"no," issues with saying
nose, ignorance of what is right under
nouns, in radio turn-off ritual
nudity:in battleEB's surprising amount ofin exercisein the greatsin photo poses
number(s):irrational, Pythagorean opposition tosorting philosophies bysquare roots of
nut jobs, rationality sometimes possessed by
Oglesby, Thaddeus
omniscience, see specific topics
Operation Britannica:as addictionAJ's decision onAJ's family onAJ's limit reached inAJ Sr. onauthority of doctors eroded bybedrock of confidence attributed tobeing "out there" vs.coincidences incomfort and health incomfort from verifiable megagenius onin conflict of authoritiescross-reference tolerance incrossword failure not attributed toencyclopedia-as-Bible theory ofequipment forfainting envied infalling asleep infalse trumpets sounded inFlaubert and Buddhists opposed togames for self-amusement inhazards inhead slappers inIraq crisis and"Ironic Facts" file injoy of learning inlearning to see silver lining inin light of evolving brainas lonely missionmind toys provided bymost common reading sites fornobility seen inorganizing influence ofphilosophical justifications forpower of editing pondered inproper stance forpsychoanalytic view ofrelationship with Julie affected byrelationship with world altered byretention issue inscatological puns resisted inskimming in,specialization fought inspeed reading attempted inas starter accomplishmentas surrogate Hebrew schoolthree Halifaxes intime logged intrivia score aided byuseful applications ofwhat to read afterwisdom gained from"Zywiec" as end of road in
Oscars, AJ's firsthand knowledge of
Ostrogoths, ill-advised complaint about
overcomers, stories of
Paine, Thomas, history's kindness to
Panelas, Tom:in AJ's visit to EB HQother "faithful readers" found by
paradoxes, liar
parenthood:avoidance ofcatalog of fears faced inlearn-as-you-gotheories on
parents, Marxian views on
past, present as recap of
past posting:instructions forwith TiVo
Paul (friend), earth explained to
pedophilia:literary fame andin Self-Taught Man
penis rituals, mushrooming and
penthouses, special theory of
"peon," misguided definition of
Peru, New Year's undies in
Peter and Sharon
Petrarch, Francesco, visit to Dr. Phil advised for
Philbin, Regis
philosophy:French, role of crossed eyes inof humanideal forms vs. change in
Picard, Captain, baldness of
pigeons, AJ blown away by
Plato, philosophy of
poetry:depressingdisheartening vs. wisely humbling
polar wandering
pop culture:AJ's promise toEB coverage ofEB light onholes opening in AJ's knowledge ofjokes in
pornography:in Carry Nation's daycross-eyed women inin domain name swipeat reproduction clinic
positive side:of Attila the Hunof Black Deathof frequent illnessesof Krakatoaof Max Schmelingof natural worldof Sepoy Mutiny
pregnancy:of Julie's friendsquest for; see also Jacobs, Jasper; Jacobs, Julie Schoenbergpreliterate societies, ethical relativism as guide to
presidents:log cabin spotlight onspeed reading ascribed toWhite House habits andsee also specific presidents
pretention, five steps to
pronunciation:of Goetheof "motor"overcoming defects in
public relations:in naming GreenlandSeven Wonders concept in
Puccini, Giacomo, operatic personal life of
pulmonary diseases, noble deaths from
puns:Mensan love ofscatological
Pythagoras
quarters, serrated edges on
quizzes:Mensan triviaat New-York Historical Society Museumpopin quiz show auditions,rabbinical
rabbit(s):Fibonacci increases inOswald, the Disney road not takenstuffed
radio, ritualistic turning off of
rap, purveyors of
rap stars, Upper East Side boys dressing like
Rasputin, murder of
Raster Master, speed reading with Les and
rational humanism, Sartre's rejection of
rats, flying, pigeons as
reading:to AJ's gestating boyprocessing vs.of telephone book, name after nameworries about value of
real estate, probable worst deal in
relativity:general theory oflongevity andspecial theory of