subject: Does Trivia Ever Become Out-of-date? [print this page] In 2011, among 11 major U.SIn 2011, among 11 major U.S. holidays, the fewest cars were stolen on Christmas. In fact, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, fewer cars were stolen on Christmas than on any other day. However, if you include Christmas Eve, the number of cars stolen on the combined holiday was 3,144. Halloween topped the list (2,328) followed by New Year's Day (2,286), Memorial Day (2,005), Labor Day (1,977), New Year's Eve (1,947), Valentine's Day (1,895), Independence Day (1,862), President's Day (1,830), Christmas Eve (1,797), Thanksgiving (1,526) and Christmas Day (1,347). Car thieves must have been busy singing Christmas "car-ols".
Many unusual laws went into effect on January 1, 2013. In Florida it became illegal to flash your headlights to warn oncoming drivers about police speed traps. Plastic bottles became contraband in Concord, New Hampshire. In North Carolina it's now a misdemeanor to steal unused cooking oil and it's a felony if the value of the oil - or oil plus container - is more than $1,000. California is allowing driverless vehicles on the road - but a human must be in the passenger's seat. More than 800 laws went into effect in California. Does than mean California is the most "effective" state?
Apocalypse was the most influential word of 2012. The 13th annual survey by the Global Language Monitor ranked words based on usage throughout the English-speaking world, in print or electronic media. The words must have been used globally and have had a minimum of 25,000 citations. Also, they couldn't be limited to a group or profession. The other 9 words on the top-10 list were Deficit, Olympiad, Bak'tun, Meme, MOOC, The Cloud, Omnishambles, Frankenstorm and Obesogenic. Frakenstorm was coined by a U.S. meteorologist and was being used around the world within a week. Bad news - and the words involved - travel fast.
Fiscal Cliff was the phrase most people wanted to get rid of in 2012. For the 38th year Michigan's Lake Superior State University compiled its "List of Words to be Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness". The university collects nominations throughout the year. Other words making the 2012 list were YOLO (you only live once), Spoiler Alert, Bucket List, Superfood and Boneless Wings. However, in 2011 the word most people wanted banished was Viral. In 2010 it was Bromance. As these words are still being used, if we are eating our words, we're not swallowing.
