With estimated jackpots in both the Powerball and MegaMillions drawings this weekend topping $400 million, here is a rundown of the largest U.S 1) The largest prize, a $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot in January 2016, was split three ways by…

It’s cold outside, so plan on being stuck inside today. Here are five snow movies to help pass time: 1) “Snow Day” – School is closed, and the kids hijack a plow to keep it that way in this film…

Former ‘Polka King’ Jan Lewan has learned that there are 2nd acts in American lives. After going to prison for a Ponzi scheme, his story has hit the big screen, with Jack Black portraying him in a new film (see…

It’s New Year’s Day for much of the world. However, the new year begins at different times in places that are not on the Gregorian calendar. 5 other ‘New Year’s Days’ include: 1) Chinese New Year: February 8. This marks…

Today is the 95th birthday of Stan Lee, the chairman emeritus of Marvel Comics. 5 comic book characters co-created by Lee with collaborators Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and John Romita are: 1) Spider-Man: He debuted in Amazing Fantasy #15 (Sept….

Howdy Doody, a pioneering character in children’s TV, made his debut 70 years ago on this date_ 5 Howdy facts are: 1) Howdy’s human partner was ‘Buffalo Bob’ Smith, who created the character for his long-running radio show. 2) Frank…

Five bloodhounds from the film and entertainment world: 1) Beauregard Bloodhound appeared in Pogo, a daily comic strip that ran from 1948 to 1975. 2) In the mockumentary comedy “Best In Show, ” Hubert the Bloodhound, owned by Christopher Guest’s…

Five mysterious airplane disappearances: 1) Ace pilot Amelia Earhart disappeared in her twin-engine monoplane over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe. 2) Among a number of disappearances over the “Bermuda Triangle,” five American bombers…

Comedian and actor Chris Farley died 20 years ago on this date_ 5 things about Farley: 1) He got his start at the Ark in his hometown of Madison, Wis., then moved to Chicago to join Second City. 2) He…

Google has listed people, topics and memes most-often searched during 2017, broken down into categories. Here are the top five searches in the United States in five of those categories: 1. Overall searches – Hurricane Irma, followed by Matt Lauer,…

Looking to plan a vacation in the coming months? Here are five of the most popular spots for Connecticut residents, according to insuremytrip.com: 1) Italy – You could see the Leaning Tower of Pisa and travel on the Grand Canal…

On this day 100 years ago, Father Edward Flanagan opened Boys Town in Nebraska as an orphanage for wayward boys. 5 things about Boys Town: 1) Father Flanagan got the idea while ministering to the homeless on the streets of…

On this date in 2008, Bernard Madoff was arrested and charged with fraud for a $50 billion Ponzi scheme. He was convicted and sentenced to 150 years in prison. 5 other major Ponzi schemes: 1) Charles Ponzi: In 1920, he…

Many people confuse llamas with alpacas, but there are a variery of differences between the two animals, including: 1) Their size: Alpacas generally weigh in at around 150 pounds while llamas can get as heavy as 400 pounds. 2) Their…

“The Post,” starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, tells the story about The Washington Post and its efforts to publish the Pentagon Papers (in limited release starting Dec. 22.) Here are five other films about newspapers. 1) “The Paper” –…

The first pizza party in outer space was tossed over the weekend on the International Space Station (see p. 8A). Astronaut food has not always been so sophisticated. Here are 5 things about past food choices: 1) Mercury program astronauts,…

The animated family film ‘Coco’ topped the box office for the 2nd straight weekend. The film is inspired by the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos). 5 things about the holiday are: 1) It derives from a…

Jim Nabors, the singer and actor best known for his role as Gomer Pyle in “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C,” died Thursday at age 87. Five facts about Nabors: 1) After graduating from the University of Alabama…

Michael Jackson’s hit album “Thriller,” the best-selling album in history, was released 35 years ago today. Here are five things to know about it: 1. Worldwide sales are estimated at 66 million copies, including more than 33 million in the…

75 years ago on this date, a fire at the Cocoanut Grove in Boston killed 492 people, the deadliest nightclub fire in history. 5 things about the club and tragedy: 1) The popular club had a ‘tropical paradise’ motif, including…