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That’s ironic

Serendipity

I’ve been spending lots of time at the laptop keyboard recently, most of it doing something productive. But sometimes one needs to take a break and check out what’s out there just waiting for discovery on the world-wide web.

I came across one site that had a page on the topic of irony. Maybe you learned about it in an English class? Irony is defined as “a state of affair that seems deliberately contrary to what’s expected and is often amusing as a result.” We tend to say something is ironic.

So this article had some examples of irony that gave me a chuckle on a gray winter day. Maybe it will do the same for you.

What’s ironic about the Bible? It is the most shoplifted book in our nation.

What’s ironic about McDonald’s? On its employee health page, which is now shut down, McDonald’s owners once warned against eating its burgers and fries.

What’s ironic about the classic Christmas movie, “A Charlie Brown Christmas?” Every year the network shortens its length to make more room for commercials. And the theme of this movie is the over-commercialization of Christmas.

What’s ironic about the man who invented basketball? James Naismith, who invented basketball in 1891, is the only losing basketball coach in the history of the University of Kansas.

What’s ironic about Alexander Graham Bell? Even though he invented the telephone, Mr. Bell refused to keep one in his study because he thought it would distract him from his work. (Whatever would he do about the Internet?)

What’s ironic about duct tape? Experts recommend never using it to seal ducts. But it can be used in many other creative and extraordinary ways.

What’s ironic about the man who survived going over Niagra Falls? He died from a fall after slipping on an orange peel.

What’s ironic about the lady who invented Liquid Paper? She was fired from her secretarial job for failing to white-out a mistake.

What’s ironic about a spelling bee? The first place winner in one of them received a trophy where the word spelling had three l’s.

What’s ironic about the dating Web site Match.com? The founder of the site encouraged everyone he knew to join, including his girlfriend. She eventually left him for a man she met on Match.com.

What’s ironic about a hotel made of ice? The one in Sweden is equipped with a smoke detector.

A short detour into such fun ironic facts just makes the day a little easier.

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