Unless you believe the Mayans, in which case there will be no more Halloween nights with a full moon. :hatsoff:
Trivia Today
- Thread starter historylover
- Start date
Unless you believe the Mayans, in which case there will be no more Halloween nights with a full moon. :hatsoff:
RANDOM TIDBITS
A duck's quack doesn't echo.
***
Blueberry Jelly Bellies were created especially for
Ronald Reagan.
***
The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley's gum.
***
Stuck Together
Adhesive tape (specifically masking tape) was invented
in the 1920's by Richard Drew of Minnesota Mining and
Manufacturing, Co. Duct tape (the WWII military version)
was first created and manufactured in 1942 by the Johnson
and Johnson Permacel Division.
***
I can't hear you
The blue whale can produce sounds up to 188 decibels.
This is the loudest sound produced by a living animal
and has been detected as far away as 530 miles.
***
Falls are falling
Tremendous erosion at the base of Niagara Falls under-
mines the shale cliffs and as a result the falls have
receded approximately 7 miles over the last 10,000 years.
A duck's quack doesn't echo.
***
Blueberry Jelly Bellies were created especially for
Ronald Reagan.
***
The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley's gum.
***
Stuck Together
Adhesive tape (specifically masking tape) was invented
in the 1920's by Richard Drew of Minnesota Mining and
Manufacturing, Co. Duct tape (the WWII military version)
was first created and manufactured in 1942 by the Johnson
and Johnson Permacel Division.
***
I can't hear you
The blue whale can produce sounds up to 188 decibels.
This is the loudest sound produced by a living animal
and has been detected as far away as 530 miles.
***
Falls are falling
Tremendous erosion at the base of Niagara Falls under-
mines the shale cliffs and as a result the falls have
receded approximately 7 miles over the last 10,000 years.
Just to put this into perspective, at a normal rock concert the standard volume is 100 dB at front of house. The volume on stage at an AC/DC show is 120 dB. That is one loud whale! :eek:
RANDOM TIDBITS
The Death Cap, Amanita phalloides is responsible for 90%
of deaths caused by fungus poisoning world-wide.
***
Yeasts, used in making beer and bread, are a form of
fungus.
***
African termites actually cultivate a species of fungus,
Termitomyces.
***
Fruit Fungi
Mucor is the name given to a group of mold fungi, which
grow on the surface of decaying fruit, bread, horse manure,
and other organic matter.
***
Makes you better
Penicillin is made growing the appropriate species of mold
on nutrients; the active compound is then extracted from
the culture fluid and purified.
***
Producers
Most fungal species are saprophytes: they feed on remains
of dead organisms or their by-products. Most forest soil
has too much acid for bacteria to grow well, and so the
fungi are the main decay producers.
The Death Cap, Amanita phalloides is responsible for 90%
of deaths caused by fungus poisoning world-wide.
***
Yeasts, used in making beer and bread, are a form of
fungus.
***
African termites actually cultivate a species of fungus,
Termitomyces.
***
Fruit Fungi
Mucor is the name given to a group of mold fungi, which
grow on the surface of decaying fruit, bread, horse manure,
and other organic matter.
***
Makes you better
Penicillin is made growing the appropriate species of mold
on nutrients; the active compound is then extracted from
the culture fluid and purified.
***
Producers
Most fungal species are saprophytes: they feed on remains
of dead organisms or their by-products. Most forest soil
has too much acid for bacteria to grow well, and so the
fungi are the main decay producers.
RANDOM TIDBITS
Bayer(TM) Aspirin was the first drug ever to be marketed in
tablet form. First marketed in 1899 as a powder, by 1900
aspirin was being compressed into a water-soluble tablet.
***
Aspirin went on sale as the first pharmaceutical drug in
1899, after Felix Hoffman, a German chemist at the drug
company Bayer, successfully modified Salicylic Acid, a
compound found in willow bark to produce Aspirin.
***
Cocaine was the first local anesthetic; being used as such
from about 1884 onwards.
***
Despite the fact that federal spending on the drug war
increased from $1.65 billion in 1982 to $17.7 billion in
1999, more than half of the students in the United States
in 1999 tried an illegal drug before they graduated from
high school.
***
More than 100 years ago, the felt hat makers of England used
mercury to stabilize wool. Most of them eventually became
poisoned by the fumes, as demonstrated by the Mad Hatter in
Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.
***
The average cup of coffee contains more than 1000 different
chemical components, none of which is tasted in isolation
but only as part of the overall flavor.
Bayer(TM) Aspirin was the first drug ever to be marketed in
tablet form. First marketed in 1899 as a powder, by 1900
aspirin was being compressed into a water-soluble tablet.
***
Aspirin went on sale as the first pharmaceutical drug in
1899, after Felix Hoffman, a German chemist at the drug
company Bayer, successfully modified Salicylic Acid, a
compound found in willow bark to produce Aspirin.
***
Cocaine was the first local anesthetic; being used as such
from about 1884 onwards.
***
Despite the fact that federal spending on the drug war
increased from $1.65 billion in 1982 to $17.7 billion in
1999, more than half of the students in the United States
in 1999 tried an illegal drug before they graduated from
high school.
***
More than 100 years ago, the felt hat makers of England used
mercury to stabilize wool. Most of them eventually became
poisoned by the fumes, as demonstrated by the Mad Hatter in
Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.
***
The average cup of coffee contains more than 1000 different
chemical components, none of which is tasted in isolation
but only as part of the overall flavor.
RANDOM TIDBITS
As the country developed, ballots known as "papers" came
into use. The word "ballot" was adopted around 1676. The
British colonies in America were the first to use a secret
ballot, which later became widespread.
***
First used in the Australian state of Victoria in 1857, the
paper ballot listing all the candidates was first known as
"the Australian ballot." In 1889, New York became the first
American state to use these ballots. Gradually, it came to
replace voting by ticket.
***
Also known as the "Myers Automatic Booth," mechanical lever
machines made their first appearance in the U.S. at Lockport,
N.Y., in 1892. Rochester, New York, used them four years
later and soon they were used across New York State. By
1930, residents of most major American cities voted on
mechanical machines.
***
Punch cards were first used in two Georgia counties for the
1964 presidential primary election. In 1996, 37% of all
voters used punch cards, including the 3.8 million
registered voters in Los Angeles County, the nation's
largest electoral jurisdiction.
***
The direct recording electronic method, DRE, uses a voting
machine with the candidates printed on a computer screen.
The voters push a button or the appropriate spot on the
surface to record their choices. Those wishing to write-in
a candidate are able to use a keyboard to type the name. In
2004, nearly 29% of voters used a DRE system.
***
Town meeting form of government, which is mainly confined
to the six New England states, decides questions of
government, including the annual operating budget, town by-
laws, or other laws with an actual show of hands. If the
vote is close, there are provisions in most towns for a
secret paper ballot. In some cases the town meeting
moderator could ask voters to stand.
As the country developed, ballots known as "papers" came
into use. The word "ballot" was adopted around 1676. The
British colonies in America were the first to use a secret
ballot, which later became widespread.
***
First used in the Australian state of Victoria in 1857, the
paper ballot listing all the candidates was first known as
"the Australian ballot." In 1889, New York became the first
American state to use these ballots. Gradually, it came to
replace voting by ticket.
***
Also known as the "Myers Automatic Booth," mechanical lever
machines made their first appearance in the U.S. at Lockport,
N.Y., in 1892. Rochester, New York, used them four years
later and soon they were used across New York State. By
1930, residents of most major American cities voted on
mechanical machines.
***
Punch cards were first used in two Georgia counties for the
1964 presidential primary election. In 1996, 37% of all
voters used punch cards, including the 3.8 million
registered voters in Los Angeles County, the nation's
largest electoral jurisdiction.
***
The direct recording electronic method, DRE, uses a voting
machine with the candidates printed on a computer screen.
The voters push a button or the appropriate spot on the
surface to record their choices. Those wishing to write-in
a candidate are able to use a keyboard to type the name. In
2004, nearly 29% of voters used a DRE system.
***
Town meeting form of government, which is mainly confined
to the six New England states, decides questions of
government, including the annual operating budget, town by-
laws, or other laws with an actual show of hands. If the
vote is close, there are provisions in most towns for a
secret paper ballot. In some cases the town meeting
moderator could ask voters to stand.
RANDOM TIDBITS
Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Nation) and
Hawaii and the territories of Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands,
Guam, and American Samoa are the only places in the U.S.
that do not observe Daylight Saving Time but instead stay
on "standard time" all year long.
***
Most of Canada uses Daylight Saving Time. Some exceptions
include the majority of Saskatchewan and parts of
northeastern British Columbia. In the fall of 2005,
Manitoba and Ontario announced that like the United States,
they would extend daylight time starting in 2007.
***
In 1996, members of the European Union agreed to observe a
"summer-time period" from the last Sunday in March to the
last Sunday in October.
***
In the Southern Hemisphere, where summer arrives in what we
in the Northern Hemisphere consider the winter months, DST
is observed from late October to late March.
***
Three large regions in Australia do not participate in DST.
Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland
stay on standard time all year. The remaining south-central
and southeastern sections of the continent (which is where
Sydney and Melbourne are found) make the switch.
***
China, which spans five time zones, is always eight hours
ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and it does not observe DST.
In Japan, DST was implemented after World War II by the
U.S. occupation. In 1952 it was abandoned because of strong
opposition by Japanese farmers.
Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Nation) and
Hawaii and the territories of Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands,
Guam, and American Samoa are the only places in the U.S.
that do not observe Daylight Saving Time but instead stay
on "standard time" all year long.
***
Most of Canada uses Daylight Saving Time. Some exceptions
include the majority of Saskatchewan and parts of
northeastern British Columbia. In the fall of 2005,
Manitoba and Ontario announced that like the United States,
they would extend daylight time starting in 2007.
***
In 1996, members of the European Union agreed to observe a
"summer-time period" from the last Sunday in March to the
last Sunday in October.
***
In the Southern Hemisphere, where summer arrives in what we
in the Northern Hemisphere consider the winter months, DST
is observed from late October to late March.
***
Three large regions in Australia do not participate in DST.
Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland
stay on standard time all year. The remaining south-central
and southeastern sections of the continent (which is where
Sydney and Melbourne are found) make the switch.
***
China, which spans five time zones, is always eight hours
ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and it does not observe DST.
In Japan, DST was implemented after World War II by the
U.S. occupation. In 1952 it was abandoned because of strong
opposition by Japanese farmers.
RANDOM TIDBITS
The Statue of Liberty (“Liberty Enlightening the World”) is
a 225-ton, steel-reinforced copper female figure, 151 ft 1
in. in height, facing the ocean from Liberty Island in New
York Harbor. The right hand holds aloft a torch, and the
left hand carries a tablet upon which is inscribed: “July
IV MDCCLXXVI.”
***
The statue was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi of
Alsace as a gift to the United States from the people of
France to memorialize the alliance of the two countries in
the American Revolution and their abiding friendship. The
French people contributed the $250,000 cost.
***
The 150-foot pedestal was designed by Richard M. Hunt and
built by Gen. Charles P. Stone, both Americans. It contains
steel underpinnings designed by Alexander Eiffel of France
to support the statue. The $270,000 cost was borne by
popular subscription in this country. President Grover
Cleveland accepted the statue for the United States on Oct.
28, 1886.
***
The Statue of Liberty was designated a National Monument in
1924 and a World Heritage Site in 1984.
***
On Sept. 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon dedicated
the American Museum of Immigration, housed in structural
additions to the base of the statue. In 1984 scaffolding
went up for a major restoration and the torch was
extinguished on July 4. It was relit with much ceremony
July 4, 1986, to mark its centennial.
***
On a tablet inside the pedestal is engraved a sonnet called
The New Colossus, written by Emma Lazarus (1849–1887).
The Statue of Liberty (“Liberty Enlightening the World”) is
a 225-ton, steel-reinforced copper female figure, 151 ft 1
in. in height, facing the ocean from Liberty Island in New
York Harbor. The right hand holds aloft a torch, and the
left hand carries a tablet upon which is inscribed: “July
IV MDCCLXXVI.”
***
The statue was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi of
Alsace as a gift to the United States from the people of
France to memorialize the alliance of the two countries in
the American Revolution and their abiding friendship. The
French people contributed the $250,000 cost.
***
The 150-foot pedestal was designed by Richard M. Hunt and
built by Gen. Charles P. Stone, both Americans. It contains
steel underpinnings designed by Alexander Eiffel of France
to support the statue. The $270,000 cost was borne by
popular subscription in this country. President Grover
Cleveland accepted the statue for the United States on Oct.
28, 1886.
***
The Statue of Liberty was designated a National Monument in
1924 and a World Heritage Site in 1984.
***
On Sept. 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon dedicated
the American Museum of Immigration, housed in structural
additions to the base of the statue. In 1984 scaffolding
went up for a major restoration and the torch was
extinguished on July 4. It was relit with much ceremony
July 4, 1986, to mark its centennial.
***
On a tablet inside the pedestal is engraved a sonnet called
The New Colossus, written by Emma Lazarus (1849–1887).
RANDOM TIDBITS
In India, women wear rings in their noses to show they are
married.
***
In most parts of Asia, it is taboo to touch people's heads,
especially those of children.
***
In Australia, pancakes are served at dinner rather than
breakfast.
***
In Thailand, people do not step on their doorsills. It is
believed that a spirit lives in the threshold of every home.
***
In Ethiopia, both males and females of the Surma tribes
shave their heads as a mark of beauty. The women wear lip
plates; their lower lips are pierced and stretched as ever-
larger plates are inserted over time. The larger the plate,
the more appealing the woman.
***
In Bangladesh, people use their right hand when they eat or
hand things to other people. They consider their left hand
unclean.
In India, women wear rings in their noses to show they are
married.
***
In most parts of Asia, it is taboo to touch people's heads,
especially those of children.
***
In Australia, pancakes are served at dinner rather than
breakfast.
***
In Thailand, people do not step on their doorsills. It is
believed that a spirit lives in the threshold of every home.
***
In Ethiopia, both males and females of the Surma tribes
shave their heads as a mark of beauty. The women wear lip
plates; their lower lips are pierced and stretched as ever-
larger plates are inserted over time. The larger the plate,
the more appealing the woman.
***
In Bangladesh, people use their right hand when they eat or
hand things to other people. They consider their left hand
unclean.
RANDOM TIDBITS
Ronald Reagan's last acting role before entering politics
was in the film "The Killers" (1964).
***
In the beach scene near the end of the Beatles' film "Help!"
(1965), John Lennon had an appointment and could not be present.
Another actor stood in for him.
***
New York was the first state to require the licensing of motor
vehicles. The law was adopted in 1901.
***
Parsley
Parsley is a common herb of the Mediterranean area and was
well known to the ancient Greeks. They considered it too
sacred to eat. Romans did serve it as a garnish and to
improve the taste of food. They believed it had special powers and
would keep them sober.
***
Ready,Break
The huddle formation used by football teams originated at
Gallaudet University, a liberal arts college for deaf people
in Washington, D.C., to prevent other schools from reading
their sign language.
***
What Color?
Emerson Moser, who was Crayola's senior crayon maker,
revealed upon his retirement that he was blue-green colorblind
and couldn't see all the colors. He molded more than 1.4
billion crayons in his 37-year career.
Ronald Reagan's last acting role before entering politics
was in the film "The Killers" (1964).
***
In the beach scene near the end of the Beatles' film "Help!"
(1965), John Lennon had an appointment and could not be present.
Another actor stood in for him.
***
New York was the first state to require the licensing of motor
vehicles. The law was adopted in 1901.
***
Parsley
Parsley is a common herb of the Mediterranean area and was
well known to the ancient Greeks. They considered it too
sacred to eat. Romans did serve it as a garnish and to
improve the taste of food. They believed it had special powers and
would keep them sober.
***
Ready,Break
The huddle formation used by football teams originated at
Gallaudet University, a liberal arts college for deaf people
in Washington, D.C., to prevent other schools from reading
their sign language.
***
What Color?
Emerson Moser, who was Crayola's senior crayon maker,
revealed upon his retirement that he was blue-green colorblind
and couldn't see all the colors. He molded more than 1.4
billion crayons in his 37-year career.
wow, nice finds ...
RANDOM TIDBITS
The brain of Neanderthal man was larger than that of
modern man.
***
John Alden is noted for the fact that he was a cooper by
trade and was asked to join the Mayflower company for
the extremely important task of caring for the Pilgrims' beer
kegs while on their New World journey.
***
Country comedienne Minnie Pearl always wore a hat with a
price tag hanging from it when she performed. The amount
ascribed on the price tag was $1.98.
***
MYTH OR LUCK
According to legend, Paris fired the arrow that hit Achilles
in the heel, his only vulnerable spot.
***
TIMOTHY GRASS
The perennial European grass timothy, widely grown in the
United States for hay, was named after Timothy Hanson, who
took the seed from New York to the Carolinas in the 1720s.
***
Cold Front
A cold front travels at a speed of about 30 miles per hour -
faster than the fastest person can run - and may overtake any
warm front ahead of it. The resulting mix of air is called
an occluded front.
The brain of Neanderthal man was larger than that of
modern man.
***
John Alden is noted for the fact that he was a cooper by
trade and was asked to join the Mayflower company for
the extremely important task of caring for the Pilgrims' beer
kegs while on their New World journey.
***
Country comedienne Minnie Pearl always wore a hat with a
price tag hanging from it when she performed. The amount
ascribed on the price tag was $1.98.
***
MYTH OR LUCK
According to legend, Paris fired the arrow that hit Achilles
in the heel, his only vulnerable spot.
***
TIMOTHY GRASS
The perennial European grass timothy, widely grown in the
United States for hay, was named after Timothy Hanson, who
took the seed from New York to the Carolinas in the 1720s.
***
Cold Front
A cold front travels at a speed of about 30 miles per hour -
faster than the fastest person can run - and may overtake any
warm front ahead of it. The resulting mix of air is called
an occluded front.
RANDOM TIDBITS
249 women have been elected or appointed to the U.S.
Congress. Jeannette Rankin, Republican from Montana, was
the first woman elected to serve in Congress. On November
9, 1916, she was elected to the House of Representatives
as Montana's Representative-at-Large to the 65th Congress;
she served from 1917–1919.
***
214 women have served in the House of Representatives. Of
these, 36 were elected to fill vacancies caused by their
husbands' deaths.
***
Margaret Chase Smith, a Republican from Maine, holds the
record for the being the first woman to serve in both houses
of Congress. Originally elected in 1940 to fill the vacancy
left by her dying husband, she was then elected to the Senate
in 1948.
***
Representative Patsy Mink, a Democrat from Hawaii, was the
first Asian-American woman elected to Congress, in 1965.
***
Edith Nourse Rogers, a Republican from Massachusetts, holds
the record for the longest service by a woman in the House
of Representatives. Originally elected to fill the vacancy
caused by her husband's death, she served from June 25,
1925, until her death on September 10, 1960.
***
Shirley Chisholm, a Democrat from New York, became the
first black woman in Congress when she was elected to the
House in 1968.
249 women have been elected or appointed to the U.S.
Congress. Jeannette Rankin, Republican from Montana, was
the first woman elected to serve in Congress. On November
9, 1916, she was elected to the House of Representatives
as Montana's Representative-at-Large to the 65th Congress;
she served from 1917–1919.
***
214 women have served in the House of Representatives. Of
these, 36 were elected to fill vacancies caused by their
husbands' deaths.
***
Margaret Chase Smith, a Republican from Maine, holds the
record for the being the first woman to serve in both houses
of Congress. Originally elected in 1940 to fill the vacancy
left by her dying husband, she was then elected to the Senate
in 1948.
***
Representative Patsy Mink, a Democrat from Hawaii, was the
first Asian-American woman elected to Congress, in 1965.
***
Edith Nourse Rogers, a Republican from Massachusetts, holds
the record for the longest service by a woman in the House
of Representatives. Originally elected to fill the vacancy
caused by her husband's death, she served from June 25,
1925, until her death on September 10, 1960.
***
Shirley Chisholm, a Democrat from New York, became the
first black woman in Congress when she was elected to the
House in 1968.
RANDOM TIDBITS
Armistice Day, as November 11 became known, officially
became a holiday in the United States in 1926, and a
national holiday 12 years later. On June 1, 1954, the name
was changed to Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans.
***
World War I officially ended on June 28, 1919, with the
signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The actual fighting
between the Allies and Germany, however, had ended seven
months earlier with the armistice, which went into effect
on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh
month in 1918.
***
Official, national ceremonies for Veterans Day center around
the Tomb of the Unknowns. To honor these men, symbolic of
all Americans who gave their lives in all wars, an Army
honor guard, the 3d U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard), keeps
day and night vigil.
***
On Memorial Day (which honors U.S. service people who died
in action) in 1958, two more unidentified American war
dead, one from World War II and the other from the Korean
War, were buried next the unknown soldier of World War I.
***
At 11 a.m. on November 11, a combined color guard
representing all military services executes "Present Arms"
at the tomb. The nation's tribute to its war dead is
symbolized by the laying of a presidential wreath and the
playing of "Taps."
***
A law was passed in 1973 providing interment of an unknown
American from the Vietnam War, but because of the improved
technology to identify the dead, it was not until 1984 that
an unidentified soldier was buried in the tomb. In 1998,
however, the Vietnam soldier was identified through DNA
tests as Michael Blassie, a 24-year-old Air Force pilot who
was shot down in May of 1972 near the Cambodian border. His
body was disinterred and reburied by his family in St. Louis,
Missouri.
Armistice Day, as November 11 became known, officially
became a holiday in the United States in 1926, and a
national holiday 12 years later. On June 1, 1954, the name
was changed to Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans.
***
World War I officially ended on June 28, 1919, with the
signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The actual fighting
between the Allies and Germany, however, had ended seven
months earlier with the armistice, which went into effect
on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh
month in 1918.
***
Official, national ceremonies for Veterans Day center around
the Tomb of the Unknowns. To honor these men, symbolic of
all Americans who gave their lives in all wars, an Army
honor guard, the 3d U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard), keeps
day and night vigil.
***
On Memorial Day (which honors U.S. service people who died
in action) in 1958, two more unidentified American war
dead, one from World War II and the other from the Korean
War, were buried next the unknown soldier of World War I.
***
At 11 a.m. on November 11, a combined color guard
representing all military services executes "Present Arms"
at the tomb. The nation's tribute to its war dead is
symbolized by the laying of a presidential wreath and the
playing of "Taps."
***
A law was passed in 1973 providing interment of an unknown
American from the Vietnam War, but because of the improved
technology to identify the dead, it was not until 1984 that
an unidentified soldier was buried in the tomb. In 1998,
however, the Vietnam soldier was identified through DNA
tests as Michael Blassie, a 24-year-old Air Force pilot who
was shot down in May of 1972 near the Cambodian border. His
body was disinterred and reburied by his family in St. Louis,
Missouri.
RANDOM TIDBITS
Simon Sang Koon Sung of Singapore made 8,192 strings of
noodles from a single lump of dough in 59.29 seconds. That’s
a rate of 138 noodles a second.
***
In 2000, 20 people at the Millennium Done in London, England,
threw 3,312 custard pies in three minutes.
***
Harry Hurley, of North Carolina, has a green thumb—a big one.
In 1997, he grew a bean that measured 4.3 ft long.
***
At a promotional event in 1998 in Dubuque, Iowa, an ice-
cream sandwich was made that weighed 2,460 pounds.
***
In 2001, six people in London spent a total of $62,138 on
a meal in a restaurant named Petrus. Most of the money was
spent on bottles of rare wine.
***
Created in Italy in 2004, the longest sandwich measured
2,081 feet in length. It was made of 2,028 pounds of flour,
112 gallons of water and 55 pounds of salt. Packed in the
sandwich were 1,206 pounds of salami and mortadella, a type
of cheese. The super sandwich weighed 34,275 pounds and was
eaten by 19,000 people.
Simon Sang Koon Sung of Singapore made 8,192 strings of
noodles from a single lump of dough in 59.29 seconds. That’s
a rate of 138 noodles a second.
***
In 2000, 20 people at the Millennium Done in London, England,
threw 3,312 custard pies in three minutes.
***
Harry Hurley, of North Carolina, has a green thumb—a big one.
In 1997, he grew a bean that measured 4.3 ft long.
***
At a promotional event in 1998 in Dubuque, Iowa, an ice-
cream sandwich was made that weighed 2,460 pounds.
***
In 2001, six people in London spent a total of $62,138 on
a meal in a restaurant named Petrus. Most of the money was
spent on bottles of rare wine.
***
Created in Italy in 2004, the longest sandwich measured
2,081 feet in length. It was made of 2,028 pounds of flour,
112 gallons of water and 55 pounds of salt. Packed in the
sandwich were 1,206 pounds of salami and mortadella, a type
of cheese. The super sandwich weighed 34,275 pounds and was
eaten by 19,000 people.
RANDOM TIDBITS
The War of the Oaken Bucket (Italy), 1325-37 - When a group
of soldiers from the city of Modena in northern Italy
invaded nearby Bologna to steal a brown oak bucket,
thousands of citizens were killed. Bologna became angry and
went to war with Modena to take back their bucket and
restore their pride. The two cities fought for 12 years and
thousands of lives were lost. Modena won the war; the people
of Bologna never got their bucket back.
***
The War of Jenkins' Ear (Great Britain vs. Spain), 1739-43 -
War was declared after Captain Robert Jenkins appeared in
Parliament holding the remains of his ear in his hand. He
claimed that the Spanish had cut it off after boarding his
ship in the West Indies, for they did not want English
traders doing business in their American colonies. The war
went on for four years, because of Jenkins and his ear.
There was no clear winner; it ended in a draw.
***
The War of the Fleeing Wife (Africa vs. Great Britain), 1879 -
Umblana, the wife of the Zulu chief Sitlay, left him and
hid in British territory. When the Zulus found her, they
shot her. England declared war on the Zulus for crossing
into their territory. The Zulu forces were crushed by the
British.
***
The Pig War (Austria-Hungary vs. Serbia), 1906-09 - Pigs
were not allowed to be sold by Serbia to Austria-Hungary.
Serbia wanted to become less dependent on goods from
Austria-Hungary and started trading their pigs for French
goods. As a result, Austria-Hungary got angry with Serbia
and forced Serbia to find new markets for their pigs.
***
The War of the Stray Dog (Greece vs. Bulgaria), 1925 - When
the dog of a Greek soldier wandered across the border into
Macedonia, the soldier ran after it and was shot by a
Bulgarian guard. The Greek troops became so angry that they
invaded Bulgaria. More than 50 men were killed before the
League of Nations intervened and stopped the war.
***
The Soccer War (El Salvador vs. Honduras), July 14-30, 1969 -
Tensions from a soccer match between the national teams of
El Salvador and Honduras, aggravated by the economic
inequality between the two countries, escalated into
fighting. Salvadoran immigrants were then expelled from
Honduras and the countries went to war. Some 2,000 people
were killed in 16 days. The Organization of American States
intervened to end the fighting.
The War of the Oaken Bucket (Italy), 1325-37 - When a group
of soldiers from the city of Modena in northern Italy
invaded nearby Bologna to steal a brown oak bucket,
thousands of citizens were killed. Bologna became angry and
went to war with Modena to take back their bucket and
restore their pride. The two cities fought for 12 years and
thousands of lives were lost. Modena won the war; the people
of Bologna never got their bucket back.
***
The War of Jenkins' Ear (Great Britain vs. Spain), 1739-43 -
War was declared after Captain Robert Jenkins appeared in
Parliament holding the remains of his ear in his hand. He
claimed that the Spanish had cut it off after boarding his
ship in the West Indies, for they did not want English
traders doing business in their American colonies. The war
went on for four years, because of Jenkins and his ear.
There was no clear winner; it ended in a draw.
***
The War of the Fleeing Wife (Africa vs. Great Britain), 1879 -
Umblana, the wife of the Zulu chief Sitlay, left him and
hid in British territory. When the Zulus found her, they
shot her. England declared war on the Zulus for crossing
into their territory. The Zulu forces were crushed by the
British.
***
The Pig War (Austria-Hungary vs. Serbia), 1906-09 - Pigs
were not allowed to be sold by Serbia to Austria-Hungary.
Serbia wanted to become less dependent on goods from
Austria-Hungary and started trading their pigs for French
goods. As a result, Austria-Hungary got angry with Serbia
and forced Serbia to find new markets for their pigs.
***
The War of the Stray Dog (Greece vs. Bulgaria), 1925 - When
the dog of a Greek soldier wandered across the border into
Macedonia, the soldier ran after it and was shot by a
Bulgarian guard. The Greek troops became so angry that they
invaded Bulgaria. More than 50 men were killed before the
League of Nations intervened and stopped the war.
***
The Soccer War (El Salvador vs. Honduras), July 14-30, 1969 -
Tensions from a soccer match between the national teams of
El Salvador and Honduras, aggravated by the economic
inequality between the two countries, escalated into
fighting. Salvadoran immigrants were then expelled from
Honduras and the countries went to war. Some 2,000 people
were killed in 16 days. The Organization of American States
intervened to end the fighting.
RANDOM TIDBITS
Katharine Hull, 15, and Pamela Whitlock, 16, went to school
together in England. One day, while taking shelter from a
rainstorm, they decided to collaborate on a book by children,
about children, and for children. Their novel, The Far-
Distant Oxus, was published one year later, in 1937, and was
said to be a classic by critics in both Europe and the U.S.
***
Dorothy Straight of Washington, D.C., was only 4 years old
when she wrote How the World Began. Her book was published
in 1964, two years later.
***
S. E. (Susan Eloise) Hinton started her writing career in
high school, beginning the first draft of The Outsiders at
the age of 15; it took her a year and a half to complete it.
A book about youth gangs and their confrontations, it was
published in 1967, when she was 17. It has sold more than a
million copies.
***
The West Indian girl Manghanita Kempadoo wrote Letters of
Thanks, which was published in 1969, when she was 12 years
old. The book is a series of thank-you notes that parody
the gifts in the carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
***
Jamie DeWitt was 12 years old when he entered his true
adventure story “Jamie's Turn” in the 1984 Raintree Publish-
a-Book Contest. His story describes an accident on his
family's farm in Wisconsin. What is truly remarkable is
that Jamie has a learning disability that makes it
difficult for him to write down what he is thinking.
***
When Jason Gaes was stricken with Burkitt's lymphoma, a
rare form of cancer, at age 7, he decided to write My Book
for Kids with Cansur. His twin brother, Tim, and 10-year-
old brother, Adam, illustrated the book, which was
published in 1987. It provides comfort and inspiration to
people of all ages.
Katharine Hull, 15, and Pamela Whitlock, 16, went to school
together in England. One day, while taking shelter from a
rainstorm, they decided to collaborate on a book by children,
about children, and for children. Their novel, The Far-
Distant Oxus, was published one year later, in 1937, and was
said to be a classic by critics in both Europe and the U.S.
***
Dorothy Straight of Washington, D.C., was only 4 years old
when she wrote How the World Began. Her book was published
in 1964, two years later.
***
S. E. (Susan Eloise) Hinton started her writing career in
high school, beginning the first draft of The Outsiders at
the age of 15; it took her a year and a half to complete it.
A book about youth gangs and their confrontations, it was
published in 1967, when she was 17. It has sold more than a
million copies.
***
The West Indian girl Manghanita Kempadoo wrote Letters of
Thanks, which was published in 1969, when she was 12 years
old. The book is a series of thank-you notes that parody
the gifts in the carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
***
Jamie DeWitt was 12 years old when he entered his true
adventure story “Jamie's Turn” in the 1984 Raintree Publish-
a-Book Contest. His story describes an accident on his
family's farm in Wisconsin. What is truly remarkable is
that Jamie has a learning disability that makes it
difficult for him to write down what he is thinking.
***
When Jason Gaes was stricken with Burkitt's lymphoma, a
rare form of cancer, at age 7, he decided to write My Book
for Kids with Cansur. His twin brother, Tim, and 10-year-
old brother, Adam, illustrated the book, which was
published in 1987. It provides comfort and inspiration to
people of all ages.
RANDOM TIDBITS
Longest-lasting Atlantic tropical storm:
"Ginger", 1971, which spun around the open ocean for 28
days.
***
Fastest surface wind speed: 231 miles per hour
(Mount Washington, New Hampshire; April 12, 1934)
***
Ask your kids to keep an eye on leaves. Poplar trees and
red and silver maples flip up their leaves when air pres-
sure is low and rain is imminent.
***
I'd take it every year...
The relatively mild winter of 1994-95 in the Twin Cities
allowed local street departments to use 8,000 fewer tons
of salt and 30,000 fewer tons of sand on area highways for
a savings of $750,000
***
Longest-lasting Pacific tropical storm:
"John "hung on for 31 days. Since it crossed the dateline
twice, it changed status from a hurricane to a typhoon and
back to a hurricane.
***
Hot and Cold
Heat bursts are an odd atmospheric event that occurs in
thunderstorms. Although most thunderstorms produce cool-
ing gusts, an occasional parcel of air is pushed down
from 20,000 feet to the surface, warming by compression
all the way down.
In Glasgow, MT, on September 9, 1994, the temperature at
5:02 AM was 67°F. A heat burst from a nearby storm shot
the temp up to 93°F by 5:17 AM, tying the date's record
high. By 5:40 AM, it was back to 68°F.
Longest-lasting Atlantic tropical storm:
"Ginger", 1971, which spun around the open ocean for 28
days.
***
Fastest surface wind speed: 231 miles per hour
(Mount Washington, New Hampshire; April 12, 1934)
***
Ask your kids to keep an eye on leaves. Poplar trees and
red and silver maples flip up their leaves when air pres-
sure is low and rain is imminent.
***
I'd take it every year...
The relatively mild winter of 1994-95 in the Twin Cities
allowed local street departments to use 8,000 fewer tons
of salt and 30,000 fewer tons of sand on area highways for
a savings of $750,000
***
Longest-lasting Pacific tropical storm:
"John "hung on for 31 days. Since it crossed the dateline
twice, it changed status from a hurricane to a typhoon and
back to a hurricane.
***
Hot and Cold
Heat bursts are an odd atmospheric event that occurs in
thunderstorms. Although most thunderstorms produce cool-
ing gusts, an occasional parcel of air is pushed down
from 20,000 feet to the surface, warming by compression
all the way down.
In Glasgow, MT, on September 9, 1994, the temperature at
5:02 AM was 67°F. A heat burst from a nearby storm shot
the temp up to 93°F by 5:17 AM, tying the date's record
high. By 5:40 AM, it was back to 68°F.