2/26/26 - R&R Hall Nominations, Mr. Clean Retires, and We Are Weird to Foreigners
- bribriny
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Thursday 2/26/26
Celebrate:
Carnival Day
Digital Learning Day
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day
Levi Strauss Day
National Chili Day
National Personal Chef Day
National Pistachio Day
National Set a Good Example Day
Tell a Fairy Tale Day
Thermos Bottle Day
For Pete's Sake Day - The phrase is a minced oath, a euphemistic saying where words that are more acceptable to society replace other words. Minced oaths have been used for centuries. The phrase celebrated today probably originated in the 1920s. An older version, "for the love of Pete," was recorded in print in 1918. It was likely based on the saying "for the love of Mike," which dates to the 1880s. This phrase was a euphemism for "for the love of God," a saying that dates to the early eighteenth century. All of these sayings express frustration, irritation, and annoyance. Another similar phrase is "For pity's sake," which may help explain why the word "Pete" was chosen, being that they both start with the letter "P." Some also have speculated that the Pete being referenced is Saint Peter.
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The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced 17 (biggest number ever) nominees for its class of 2026, with one of its most widely genre-spanning lists of contenders ever:
First-time nominees
Jeff Buckley
Phil Collins (already in with Genesis)
Melissa Etheridge
Lauryn Hill
INXS
New Edition
Pink (first year of eligibility)
Shakira
Luther Vandross
Wu-Tang Clan
and those re-nominated
The Black Crowes
Mariah Carey
Billy Idol
Iron Maiden
Joy Division/New Order
Oasis
Sade
Voting happens now, with the results announced in April.
You can add your vote here.
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The Mr. Clean brand shared that its mascot, also named Mr. Clean, would be retiring after nearly 70 years. But it seems the bald icon has some exciting plans for the future.
"After a career with zero stains on the record, he's ready for new adventures. But don't worry, his products will continue to be available to support all your cleaning needs."
And he's already on island time. While Mr. Clean—who was introduced by the company in 1957—opted for a blue Hawaiian button-down at the press conference, his iconic white shirt was displayed in a frame alongside the podium. He concluded the meeting with a mic drop, although he was sure to wipe down the equipment before exiting.
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The FBI is hunting for a missing shipment of lobsters that vanished between Massachusetts and the Midwest. It appears to be part of a growing "spoofing" trend where criminals impersonate legitimate trucking carriers using burner phones and fake emails to hijack high-value freight.
Follow up to this, does anyone have clarified butter??
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Things Americans Do That Seem Normal to Us But Weird to Others:
Driving Everywhere:
Over 90% of Americans own a car
Many drive even for short distances that others would walk or bike
Foreigners find American car dependency "isolating and strangely inefficient."
and of course..Drive-Thru Everything!
Portion Sizes:
American restaurant portions can "feed a small family" in other countries
73% of U.S. adults are overweight or obese
Tied to portion sizes, snacking habits, and fast-food consumption
Coffee Culture:
Over 400 million cups consumed per day in the U.S.
Americans have ritualistic loyalty to chains (Starbucks, Dunkin')
Foreigners find the ubiquity and chain loyalty unusual
College Sports Obsession:
Huge stadiums filled with tens of thousands for college games
This level of devotion to amateur athletics "baffles many people from other countries."
Typically reserved for professional leagues elsewhere
Wearing Pajamas in Public:
Americans frequently run errands in sweatpants, hoodies, or slippers
Casual dress is normal in many cultures, but pajama-style loungewear outside the home is rare elsewhere
Ice Water Obsession:
Americans ask for ice water "in the dead of winter"
Locals abroad give "a particular look of mild bewilderment" where room-temperature beverages are considered better for digestion and flavor profile.
Smiling at Complete Strangers
Americans often make eye contact and smile at people they pass on the street or stand in line with at a store. In the U.S., this is generally seen as a polite, friendly gesture meant to acknowledge another person’s presence.
In many other cultures, particularly in Eastern Europe, a smile is reserved for people you know well. Smiling at a stranger for no reason can be interpreted as insincere, foolish, or even a sign of a potential scam.
Read more here.
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Today's Useless Fact of the Day - Sweden once had a February 30th.
In 1712, Sweden was trying to switch from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. They decided to do it gradually by skipping leap days for 40 years.
They forgot to skip the leap days in 1704 and 1708 because they were busy with a war. Realizing their calendar didn't match anyone else's, they decided to just go back to the old system.
To get back in sync, they added two leap days to the year 1712. Thus, February 30, 1712, exists in Swedish history.
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