Ask Rachel

Interesting fact: Hats do not, in fact, make hair grow faster or slower. They don’t make you go bald or white. I didn’t even realize these were myths about hats until, desperate to fill this space, I looked up “hat hair facts.”

Interesting fact:
The first swirling money game-show booth (on “The Diamond Head Game”) was called The Money Volcano, and its rules were brutal: any $1 bill in your pocket meant you lost everything.

Interesting fact: Cranberry sauce was first sold to the North American public in 1912. I need to check my calendar, but I think that means it’s not an original Thanksgiving dish.

Interesting fact: A statistically significant increase in motor vehicle accidents occurs on the Sunday after we turn the clocks back. Let’s go ahead and blame traffic and immigrants on Daylight Savings Time, too.

Interesting fact: Sushi originated as a means of preserving fish in fermented rice. Is it any wonder that humans started eating the rice too?

Interesting fact: Airline miles are generally worth 10-15 cents each. They’re no Bitcoin, but you can buy them now for a mere 30 cents apiece!

Interesting fact: I looked up the etymology of “dickweed” thinking perhaps it was an Old World herb or something. Nope. It’s just a beautiful word that, like cocaine, is a gift to us from the 1980s.

Interesting fact: In fairness, this Andy Thomas painter guy has also done a Democratic president canvas, and neither one was commissioned by an actual president. But it’s still tacky. And if you’re going to omit presidents like Chester A. Arthur, you could omit Nixon. And Trump. Why not.

Interesting fact: You can register to vote online at www.GoVoteColorado.com through Oct. 29 and in person right up until Election Day on Nov. 6. Do it.

Interesting fact: Sitting on an exercise ball sure can activate your abs, but studies show that you are actually too lazy to keep your abs activated.

Interesting fact: I have no problem with the Amish, but the faceless dolls associated with them are the stuff of horror films. They’re believed to deter against pride and vanity. Yup, horror films.

Interesting fact: I tried to find proof that horse manure on the trail is in fact a health hazard to humans. But it appears that, aside from the frustration of stepping in it, you’re only like 15 percent likely to get diarrhea.

Interesting fact: Oreo has announced that it’s now selling hot chicken wing-flavored cookies in China. Still chocolate on the outside, just... buffalo on the inside. If they are never imported here, that’ll be the only win to come of the Trump presidency.

Interesting fact: The average indoor carpet is 4,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat (non-fraternity division), with about 200,000 bacteria per square inch.

Interesting fact: If you don’t already know about the Led Zeppelin mud shark incident, whatever you do, do not look it up.

Interesting fact: Yiddish words in American English that I did not realize were Yiddish include: glitch, klutz, nosh, schmooze, spritz and tush. I see now how blatantly Yiddish they all are.

Interesting fact: Studies show that workers get tipped based on their age, gender, race, hair color, and (no duh) breast size more so than the quality of their service. So next time your cheap-ass dad complains about the service, you’re free to call him out on his eu- phemism for the waitress’ erm, “attributes.”

Interesting fact: A study at Ohio State University showed that a 50-pound child would have to eat more than 500 poinsettia leaves for them to suffer any harmful effect. But eating the leaves can still cause vomiting and diarrhea in pets. I feel like I’m getting mixed signals here.