Random Facts
- Thread starter Sammie
- Start date
moreluck
golden ticket member
1. In Shakespeare’s time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. That’s where the phrase, “goodnight, sleep tight” came from.
2. The sentence “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” Uses every letter in the alphabet.
(developed by Western Union to test telex/twx communications.)
3. The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.
4. The term “the whole 9 yards” came from W.W.II fighter pilots in the Pacific. When arming their airplanes on the ground, the..50 caliber machine gun ammo belts measured exactly 27 feet, before being loaded into the fuselage. If the pilots fired all their ammo at a target, it got “the whole 9 yards.”
5. The phrase “rule of thumb” is derived from an old English law which stated that you couldn’t beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.
2. The sentence “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” Uses every letter in the alphabet.
(developed by Western Union to test telex/twx communications.)
3. The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.
4. The term “the whole 9 yards” came from W.W.II fighter pilots in the Pacific. When arming their airplanes on the ground, the..50 caliber machine gun ammo belts measured exactly 27 feet, before being loaded into the fuselage. If the pilots fired all their ammo at a target, it got “the whole 9 yards.”
5. The phrase “rule of thumb” is derived from an old English law which stated that you couldn’t beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.
moreluck
golden ticket member
'Bimbo' is a brand of soft drink manufactured and marketed by Coca-Cola, Inc.
20252 is Smokey the Bear's own zip code.
35% of the people using personal ads for dating are already married!
40% of women have hurled footwear at a man.
85% of all Valentine's Day cards are purchased by women!
90 percent of women who walk into a department store immediately turn to the right.
20% of tuxedo rentals take place in May.
7-11 sells 10,000 pots of coffee an hour, every hour, every day.
76% of Americans celebrate New Year's Eve in groups of less than 20.
20252 is Smokey the Bear's own zip code.
35% of the people using personal ads for dating are already married!
40% of women have hurled footwear at a man.
85% of all Valentine's Day cards are purchased by women!
90 percent of women who walk into a department store immediately turn to the right.
20% of tuxedo rentals take place in May.
7-11 sells 10,000 pots of coffee an hour, every hour, every day.
76% of Americans celebrate New Year's Eve in groups of less than 20.
moreluck
golden ticket member
76% of Americans celebrate New Year's Eve in groups of less than 20.
A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second
A Boeing 747 airliner holds 57,285 gallons of fuel!
A cubic yard of air weighs about 2 pounds at sea level.
A man named Charles Osborne had the hiccups for 69 years!
A moth has no stomach.
A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second
A Boeing 747 airliner holds 57,285 gallons of fuel!
A cubic yard of air weighs about 2 pounds at sea level.
A man named Charles Osborne had the hiccups for 69 years!
A moth has no stomach.
moreluck
golden ticket member
Did you know there is actually a site where you can track your dollar bills and see where they travel ???
http://www.wheresgeorge.com/
http://www.wheresgeorge.com/
Random_Facts
Well-Known Member
A subject about my screenname, it's a miracle. Lol. This is one of the few I can actually post on! =D. (I used to be full of useless facts, until my computer died...it erased my entire list, sad but true). Here is a few from my new list..
- 1,525,000,000 miles of telephone wire a strung across the U.S.
- 101 Dalmatians and Peter Pan (Wendy) are the only two Disney cartoon features with both parents that are present and don't die throughout the movie.
- 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
- 12 newborns will be given to the wrong parents daily.
- 123,000,000 cars are being driven down the U.S's highways.
- 160 cars can drive side by side on the Monumental Axis in Brazil, the world's widest road.
- 166,875,000,000 pieces of mail are delivered each year in the U.S.
- 27% of U.S. male college students believe life is "A meaningless existential hell."
- 315 entries in Webster's Dictionary will be misspelled.
- 5% of Canadians don't know the first 7 words of the Canadian anthem, but know the first 9 of the American anthem.
- 56,000,000 people go to Major League baseball each year.
- 7% of Americans don't know the first 9 words of the American anthem, but know the first 7 of the Canadian anthem.
- 85,000,000 tons of paper are used each year in the U.S.
- 99% of the solar systems mass is concentrated in the sun.
- A 10-gallon hat barely holds 6 pints.
- A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
- A cockroach can live several weeks with its head cut off.
- A company in Taiwan makes dinnerware out of wheat, so you can eat your plate.
- A cow produces 200 times more gas a day than a person.
- A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.
- A dragonfly has a lifespan of 24 hours.
- A fully loaded supertanker travelling at normal speed takes a least twenty minutes to stop.
- A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue.
- A giraffe can go without water longer than a camel can.
- A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.
- A hard working adult sweats up to 4 gallons per day. Most of the sweat evaporates before a person realizes it's there.
- A hedgehog's heart beats 300 times a minute on average.
- A hippo can open its mouth wide enough to fit a 4 foot tall child inside.
- A hummingbird weighs less than a penny.
- A jellyfish is 95 percent water.
- A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
- A jumbo jet uses 4,000 gallons of fuel to take off.
- A male emperor moth can smell a female emperor moth up to 7 miles away.
- A man named Charles Osborne had the hiccups for 6 years. Wow.
- A mole can dig a tunnel 300 feet long in just one night.
- A monkey was once tried and convicted for smoking a cigarette in South Bend, Indiana.
- A pig's orgasm lasts for 30 minutes.
- A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.
- A Saudi Arabian woman can get a divorce if her husband doesn't give her coffee.
- A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
- A quarter has 119 grooves on its edge, a dime has one less groove.
- A shark can detect one part of blood in 100 million parts of water.
- A skunk can spray its stinky scent more than 10 feet.
- A sneeze travels out your mouth at over 100 m.p.h.
- A toothpick is the object most often choked on by Americans!
- A walla-walla scene is one where extras pretend to be talking in the background -- when they say "walla-walla" it looks like they are actually talking.
- A whale's penis is called a dork.
- About 3000 years ago, most Egyptians died by the time they were 30.
- About 70% of Americans who go to college do it just to make more money. [The rest of us are avoiding reality for four more years.]
- According to a British law passed in 1845, attempting to commit suicide was a capital offense. Offenders could be hanged for trying.
- Actor Tommy Lee Jones and former vice-president Al Gore were freshman roommates at Harvard.
- Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.
- All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.
moreluck
golden ticket member
7 Things Not To Say During a Job Interview........
http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/03/18/7-things-say-job-interview/
http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/03/18/7-things-say-job-interview/
DS
Fenderbender
Ever heard of a Ankylosoar?
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2011/03/25/edmonton-suncor-dinosaur-fossil.html
It had Kleins ups ID card in its stomach
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2011/03/25/edmonton-suncor-dinosaur-fossil.html
It had Kleins ups ID card in its stomach
curiousbrain
Well-Known Member
What has two thumbs, a large beer stein, and drinks on the weekends?
<=== This guy.
<=== This guy.
moreluck
golden ticket member
Why is there a worm in some tequila bottles?
It is illegal for a bottle of liquor to bear the name "Tequila" and also contain a worm. The drink that has worms in and is often confused with tequila is mezcal, a related but different beverage produced in Mexico. The grub in question is the agave worm (gusano rojo) and there are several theories about its presence in the bottle. One of these is that the worm guarantees the strength of the distilled spirit. Another is that the worm is supposed to endow special powers and is said to have hallucinogenic properties. The originator of this practice was a man named Jacobo Lozano Paez. In 1940, while tasting prepared agave, he and his partner found that the worm changed the taste of the agave. (Agave worms are sometimes found in the pina after harvesting, a sign of badly chosen, infested, agave). While consumption of it has become somewhat of a young man's rite of passage, it is, in essence, a marketing ploy. Some brands associated with containing the worm are 'Gusano de Oro', 'Gusano Rojo', and 'Dos Gusanos'. Yes, they have a worm.
It is illegal for a bottle of liquor to bear the name "Tequila" and also contain a worm. The drink that has worms in and is often confused with tequila is mezcal, a related but different beverage produced in Mexico. The grub in question is the agave worm (gusano rojo) and there are several theories about its presence in the bottle. One of these is that the worm guarantees the strength of the distilled spirit. Another is that the worm is supposed to endow special powers and is said to have hallucinogenic properties. The originator of this practice was a man named Jacobo Lozano Paez. In 1940, while tasting prepared agave, he and his partner found that the worm changed the taste of the agave. (Agave worms are sometimes found in the pina after harvesting, a sign of badly chosen, infested, agave). While consumption of it has become somewhat of a young man's rite of passage, it is, in essence, a marketing ploy. Some brands associated with containing the worm are 'Gusano de Oro', 'Gusano Rojo', and 'Dos Gusanos'. Yes, they have a worm.
moreluck
golden ticket member
When you boil eggs, save the water. It is full of minerals that houseplants thrive on. After boiling the eggs, let the water cool and water your houseplants with the water. You'll see the diiference in how they grow! If you put salt in the water when boiling eggs, do NOT use that water. The saltwater can harm or kill the plants. The salt in the water makes peeling the eggs easier. What can be done to achieve both tasks? Go ahead and salt your water for the eggs. Rinse the egg before peeling and save the eggshells. Place them in a pot with water and boil them again. Let cool completely, and use that water to water your plants.....
moreluck
golden ticket member
I hope this is a 'money bag' year for us all!!!
This year we're going to experience four unusual dates. 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11 and that's not all...Take the last two digits of the year in which you were born -now add the age you will be this year, and the result will be 111 for everyone. This is the year of Money... This year October will have 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays and 5 Saturdays. This happens only every 823 years... These particular years are known as 'Moneybags'... The proverb goes that if you send this to eight good friends money will appear in the next four days as is explained in Chinese feng-shui. Those who don't continue the chain won't receive. Its a mystery, but its worth a try.
This year we're going to experience four unusual dates. 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, 11/11/11 and that's not all...Take the last two digits of the year in which you were born -now add the age you will be this year, and the result will be 111 for everyone. This is the year of Money... This year October will have 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays and 5 Saturdays. This happens only every 823 years... These particular years are known as 'Moneybags'... The proverb goes that if you send this to eight good friends money will appear in the next four days as is explained in Chinese feng-shui. Those who don't continue the chain won't receive. Its a mystery, but its worth a try.
moreluck
golden ticket member
Household hint.....
When you buy a box of "SOS" pads, cut them in half with your scissors. Chances are you will never need a piece much bigger and this saves you money. When you toss the old, rusty pad, it won't be as much of a waste. Second tip within a tip...Cutting them in half with your scissors sharpens the scissors also!
When you buy a box of "SOS" pads, cut them in half with your scissors. Chances are you will never need a piece much bigger and this saves you money. When you toss the old, rusty pad, it won't be as much of a waste. Second tip within a tip...Cutting them in half with your scissors sharpens the scissors also!
moreluck
golden ticket member
Amazing facts about cats....
- The nose pad of a cat is ridged in a pattern that is unique, just like the fingerprint of a human.
- 25% of cat owners blow dry their cats hair after a bath.
- If your cat is near you, and her tail is quivering, this is the greatest expression of love your cat can give you. If her tail starts thrashing, her mood has changed --- Time to distance yourself from her.
- Cats wag their tails when it is in a stage of conflict. The cat wants to do two things at once, but each impulse blocks the other. For example: If your cat is in the doorway wanting to go outside, and you open the door to find it raining, the cat's tail will wag because of internal conflict. The cat wants to go outside, but doesn't want to go into the rain. Once the cat makes a decision and either returns to the house or leaves into the rain, the tail will immediately stop wagging.
- Cats knead with their paws when they're happy.
- Your cat loves you and can "read" your moods. If you're sad or under stress, you may also notice a difference in your cat's behavior.
- The average age for an indoor cat is 15 years, while the average age for an outdoor cat is only 3 to 5 years.
- A cat's normal body temperature is 101.5 degrees. This is slightly warmer than a humans.
- People who own pets live longer, have less stress, and have fewer heart attacks.
- Cats love to chew on grass, catnip, parsley or sage. Become a green thumb and plant an indoor garden for your cat! But be careful ===toxic plants
- A falling cat will always right itself in a precise order. First the head will rotate, then the spine will twist and the rear legs will align, then the cat will arch its back to lessen the impact of the landing.
- "Sociable" cats will follow you from room to room to monitor your activities throughout the day.
- Cats get their sense of security from your voice. Talk to your cats! And be mindful of your tone of voice. Cats know when you're yelling at them (though they may not care).
- The more cats are spoken to, the more they will speak to you.
- The nose pad of a cat is ridged in a pattern that is unique, just like the fingerprint of a human.
- 25% of cat owners blow dry their cats hair after a bath.
- If your cat is near you, and her tail is quivering, this is the greatest expression of love your cat can give you. If her tail starts thrashing, her mood has changed --- Time to distance yourself from her.
- Cats wag their tails when it is in a stage of conflict. The cat wants to do two things at once, but each impulse blocks the other. For example: If your cat is in the doorway wanting to go outside, and you open the door to find it raining, the cat's tail will wag because of internal conflict. The cat wants to go outside, but doesn't want to go into the rain. Once the cat makes a decision and either returns to the house or leaves into the rain, the tail will immediately stop wagging.
- Cats knead with their paws when they're happy.
- Your cat loves you and can "read" your moods. If you're sad or under stress, you may also notice a difference in your cat's behavior.
- The average age for an indoor cat is 15 years, while the average age for an outdoor cat is only 3 to 5 years.
- A cat's normal body temperature is 101.5 degrees. This is slightly warmer than a humans.
- People who own pets live longer, have less stress, and have fewer heart attacks.
- Cats love to chew on grass, catnip, parsley or sage. Become a green thumb and plant an indoor garden for your cat! But be careful ===toxic plants
- A falling cat will always right itself in a precise order. First the head will rotate, then the spine will twist and the rear legs will align, then the cat will arch its back to lessen the impact of the landing.
- "Sociable" cats will follow you from room to room to monitor your activities throughout the day.
- Cats get their sense of security from your voice. Talk to your cats! And be mindful of your tone of voice. Cats know when you're yelling at them (though they may not care).
- The more cats are spoken to, the more they will speak to you.
moreluck
golden ticket member
The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable.
Facetious and abstemious contain all the vowels in the correct order, as does arsenious, meaning "containing arsenic."
Emus and kangaroos cannot walk backwards, and are on the Australian seal for that reason.
Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.
The word "Checkmate" in chess comes from the Persian phrase "Shah Mat," which means "the king is dead."
The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of yore when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.
Facetious and abstemious contain all the vowels in the correct order, as does arsenious, meaning "containing arsenic."
Emus and kangaroos cannot walk backwards, and are on the Australian seal for that reason.
Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.
The word "Checkmate" in chess comes from the Persian phrase "Shah Mat," which means "the king is dead."
The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of yore when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.
DS
Fenderbender
The closest star to our own solar system is known as Proxima. Proxima Centauri is the third star in the Alpha Centauri star system, also known as Alpha Centauri C. It is 4.2 light years away from the sun.
One light-year is equal to:
about 5,878,625,373,183.608 miles (about 6 trillion miles)
One light-year is equal to:
about 5,878,625,373,183.608 miles (about 6 trillion miles)
