FAQ

The following answers were provided by Joe Kissell:

What counts as interesting?
It goes without saying that the word interesting is quite subjective. So by interesting I really mean interesting to me. Your mileage may vary. That said, I try hard to choose topics that, in my estimation, are unusual or unfamiliar to the average North American adult and seem likely to interest a wide range of people. In general, I try to select things that will still be interesting several years from now, which rules out many topics in the worlds of high tech, pop culture, and politics, interesting though they may be. I also prefer, when possible, to describe things with which I’ve had some personal experience, because I believe that gives the descriptions more depth and credibility.
What counts as a thing?
After an exhaustive lexical search, I determined that thing was the only English word suitably broad, generic, and vague to cover the entire range of topics I wanted to present. An interesting thing might be a gadget, an event from history, a philosophical concept, a word, a place, a food, or pretty much any noun except a person. Even there, I might make an exception now and then.
Who is Joe Kissell?
Joe Kissell is an author and technologist who lives in San Diego with his wife, Morgen Jahnke (see next question), and their children. In 2017, Joe also became the publisher of Take Control Books, which is now part of alt concepts inc. You can follow Joe on Twitter or visit his personal website, joekissell.com (where he sometimes posts as often as once or twice a year).
Who is Morgen Jahnke?
Morgen Jahnke is a writer who lives in San Diego with her husband, Joe Kissell (see previous question), and their children. You can follow Morgen on Twitter.
Where did the idea for Interesting Thing of the Day come from?
It all started with the Girolle. When I first encountered this simple gadget for shaving cheese on a vacation to Switzerland in 2000, I thought it was one of the coolest things I had ever seen. Although I was happy at the discovery, I was surprised and slightly annoyed that I had never heard of such a thing before. My next thought was that many people outside that corner of Europe were probably also unaware of the Girolle and would probably be equally interested to learn about it. I knew, too, that there must have been many other unusual things I’d come across in life that made me say, “Wow, that’s interesting!” in much the same way. All kinds of things: words, places, historical events, foods, and of course gadgets. I ought to create a Web site to share these fun tidbits with the world, I thought. I’ll call it “Interesting Thing of the Day.” Within a few minutes of my first encounter with a Girolle, the whole plan had formed in my mind. A few years later, after a fortuitous layoff, I finally had time to make it a reality.
Can I suggest an interesting thing?
Yes, you can send us your ideas. However, please be aware that we’re quite particular about what we post, so please don’t take it personally if we reject your idea.
Can I write an article for Interesting Thing of the Day?
Sorry, we don’t accept pitches for articles. If and when we need more writers, and can afford to pay them well, we know where to find them!
Can I advertise on Interesting Thing of the Day?
Nope. We don’t accept outside advertising of any kind, ever. And that goes double for the abominable so-called “native advertising” and “sponsored posts.” Yuck.
What if my question wasn’t answered?
Feel free to ask using this form.