Carl Pettit is a writer and editor with interests ranging from international relations and political humor to the arts and modern media.
Carl Pettit
5 Creepy Urban Legends to Spook You This Halloween
Ah, Halloween: the one time of year when it’s completely appropriate to scare the fecal matter out of loved ones and friends. If your goal is to make sure children can’t sleep at night, a disturbing urban legend is just the ammunition you need.
The Spooky Origins of Halloween — 10 Strange, Fun Facts About Witches, Pumpkins, Bonfires & More
The roots of our spookiest holiday's traditions—from pumpkins to trick-or-treating—run deep, their origins reaching back thousands of years to pre-Christian pagan festivals and superstitions.
10 Icons (Fictional and Real) to Model Yourself After — From Galileo to Gandhi to Mad Max
Every man could use a role model. For many of us, it's our father. Maybe for you it's Michael Jordan. Or Barack Obama. Or Jesus. Or maybe one of these 10 fine individuals.
5 Weirdly Flavored Brews You May Love or Hate — Chili Beer, Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout & More
As the old nursery rhyme goes, you have nothing to fear from oddly flavored beer. Well, you might have a little to fear, depending on how adventurous you and your taste buds happen to be.
5 Ways to Improve Your Car’s Gas Mileage
Nowadays, perhaps more than ever, maximizing your car's gas mileage is vital—practically, economically and environmentally.
Winter Driving Advice — 5 Important Things You Should Know
Even though we’re already well into the winter driving season, it’s never too late to learn a little more, or get a brief refresher course on how to handle the cold season's particular difficulties.
5 Thanksgiving Myths Debunked — Pilgrims Didn’t Wear Buckles? (And More)
Thanksgiving, which we've been celebrating in America for centuries now, is a time of family, food and, especially, tradition. Even so, many of the stories we take as gospel about this wonderful holiday—wonderful if you’re not endlessly bickering with your relatives, that is—aren’t true at all. Myth, legend and wishful thinking play into a lot of the misconceptions surrounding Turkey Day.
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Halloween’s Strange Origins — 5 Things You Might Not Know
These days Halloween is all Naughty This and Sexy That, but the roots of our spookiest holiday's traditions—from pumpkins to trick-or-treating—run deep, their origins reaching back thousands of years to pre-Christian pagan festivals and superstitions. These quirky bits of trivia about the history of Halloween should help you better appreciate all the ghouls and witches wandering about (and your ho
10 Spectacular Mountain Biking Destinations in North America
Mountain bikers in North America have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to beautiful environments and striking trails to explore. We've gathered 10 of them for you to take a look at.
5 Stunning, Futuristic Concept Cars You Might Be Able to Buy Someday
Car designers are hard at work coming up with some incredible, futuristic-looking automotive designs, some of which may be racing down your street in the years ahead.
5 Careers That Are Quickly Dying Out
Getting a solid apprenticeship or a college education is almost always a good idea for anyone traveling down the career path. The problem arises when you have to decide between several different options. While anyone with a strong skill set (blue- or white-collar) should be fairly employable, it’s just a basic fact that some vocations are more in demand these days than others. It often depends on
5 Strange Federal Tax Deductions You Might Not Know About
Tax season comes and goes every year, to the dread and relief of many a taxpayer. Even if you’ve taken care of your taxes this year, that doesn’t mean you shouldn't be mindful of potential tax deductions you can claim for your next round with the government in the year to come.