Did You Know? The Fact File Is Open Again.

“Fight Against Stupidity And Bureaucracy”

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The fact file is open again and here are fifteen more gems of wisdom to peruse at your leisure.

Enjoy.

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did you know5

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100,000,000,000 solar neutrinos pass through

every square inch of your body every second.

(I thought I felt something!)

solar neutrinos

.

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The northern border of Delaware is curved,

with all points being exactly 12 miles from

the old court house in New Castle.

delaware state map

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James Barrie, author of Peter Pan, never had kids,

but he did have a special affection for the children of others.

In 1929 he signed over the rights for Peter Pan to a London hospital

that specialized in pediatric medicine.

James Barrie

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The celery stick garnish became a staple of the Bloody Mary

only after an impatient patron at Chicago’s Pump Room

couldn’t wait for his server to bring him a swizzle stick.

He took matters into his own hands and

snatched a celery stalk from a nearby relish tray.

Bloody-Mary

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Ice Cream was served to new arrivals at Ellis Island.

However, since most people hadn’t encountered it before,

they simply figured it was butter and spread it on their toast.

Ice-Cream

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The state fish of Hawaii is the “humuhumunukunukuapua’a”.

The Hawaiian name roughly translates to “the fish with a pig-like nose.”

It’s English name is the Reef Triggerfish.

humuhumunukunukuapua'a

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Director John Landis includes the phrase

“See you next Wednesday” in most of his films.

It was the title of a script he wrote as a teen.

John_Landis

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Al Capone estimated that he spent $30 million a year

to pay off judges, police, elected officials, and newspapermen.

al-capone 88

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The first artist signed to the Beatles’ Apple Records label

was singer-songwriter James Taylor.

James_Taylor

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Clifton Keith Hillegass is the “Cliff” behind Cliff’s Notes.

He started his company in 1958 when he

published 16 Shakespearian study guides.

CliffsNotes

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Birds cock their heads at the ground not to listen for prey

(such as insects or worms) but to better see them.

bird cocking head

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Although the National Association for the Advancement

of Colored People clearly stated its mission in its title,

W.E.B. Du Bois was the only African American

on the NAACP’s first board of directors.

W.E.B. Du Bois

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Contrary to popular belief, a camel’s hump does not store water.

Instead, it’s filled with fat, which allows the animal to go for a month without food.

If the hump becomes depleted, it will shrink, flop over, and hang at the camel’s side.

bactrian camel 2

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A Mercurian day is longer than its year.

Mercury revolves around the sun very quickly,

but rotates around its axis very, very slowly.

One day on Mercury (sunrise to sunrise) is longer than

one year on Mercury (one orbit around the Sun).

Mercuryday

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The flashes of colored light you see when you

rub your eyes are called “phosphenes.”

phosphene_by_preritjain-d4j91wh

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The term “paparazzi” comes from Paparazzo,

a fictional freelance photographer

in the 1960 Fellini film La Dolce Vita.

paparazzi

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Construction of the Pentagon began in 1941 

–  on September 11th.

(Spooky-woo!)

Pentagon_construction

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John Lennon’s 1975 single “Number Nine Dream”

peaked on the Billboard pop singles chart at number nine.

Similarly, Prince’s 1993 single “Seven” peaked at #7.

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Did You Know? – Fasab’s Fabulous Fact Feast!

“Fight Against Stupidity And Bureucracy”

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Another fabulous fact feast on the fasab blog.

Hope there are a few things in here that are new and interesting for you.

Enjoy.

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did you know2

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Pepsi-Cola was originally called “Brad’s Drink.”

Brad's Drink

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Most supermarkets place their bakery areas near the entrance

because studies have shown that the aroma of fresh-baked goods

makes customers spend more money.

bakery-supermarket

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Although most people think that it was a spin-off from the telephone,

the first fax machine was actually invented over 25 years before the telephone.

first-fax-machine

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The Kentucky Derby is also known as the Run for the Roses.

KentuckyDerbyRace

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Not all comets are as “regular” as Halley’s Comet.

Astronomers believe that Comet West,

which last visited our neighborhood in 1975-76,

won’t be seen again for another half-million years.

comet_west_1976

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In 1835, John Wilkes Booth’s father Junius

threatened to kill President Andrew Jackson.

Junius Brutus Booth

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Cashews are related to poison ivy.

Cashews

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The fortune cookie was invented in the early 20th century

by Makato Hagiwara, who designed the Japanese Tea Garden

in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.

He intended the cookie to be a snack for people walking through the garden.

fortune cookie

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Bubble gum is pink because when it was invented,

pink was the only food dye on hand.

bubble_gum

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The first skyjacking occurred in 1931 in the skies above Peru.

Two rebel soldiers forced the pilot of a Fokker F-27 to fly them over Lima

so they could drop propaganda pamphlets onto the city.

Fokker_F-27

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Teddy Roosevelt’s first wife and mother

died on the same day in the same house.

The day was Valentine’s Day of 1884.

Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt

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The “Crows Nest” on a ship

(the basket near the top of the mast)

used to actually contain a crow.

The ships navigator would use one of the birds as a guide in bad weather,

since they invariably flew towards land.

ship_crows_nest

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Only 1% of all the readily accessible water on earth is drinkable.

potable water

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In 1557, European doctors recommended smoking

to combat bad breath and cancer.

woman_multiple_cigarettes1

.

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In the 1904 Olympics, American gymnast George Eyser

faired quite well, winning six medals

even though his left leg was made of wood.

George Eyser

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Al Capone’s brother was a cop.

al-capone

.

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The Orange River in southern Africa

isn’t named for the fruit or the color;

it’s named for the Dutch royal family

who sent explorers to “discover” the area.

Orange-River

.

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The Haskell Free Library and Opera House

straddles the Canadian and Vermont border.

The actors perform in Canada

while most of the audience sits in the United States.

There is even a painted line running through the building.

Haskell Free Library and Opera House, Quebec-Vermont border

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The phrase “going commando” originated during the Vietnam War,

a time when American troops spent extended periods of time in hot, humid jungles.

Wearing tight-fitting undergarments reduced ventilation

and increased the risk of fungal infections in the groin area.

going-commando

.

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Generally, the higher a dog’s cholesterol,

the more likely they are to chase their tail.

Especially if they’re female!

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The September Quizzes Begin Here.

“Fight Against Stupidity And Bureaucracy”

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Month nine of 2013 and quiz number – I don’t know how many – but here’s another one anyway.

Usual random mixture and answers to be found waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down below, but please, NO cheating!

Enjoy.

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Quiz 5

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Q.  1: The name of which famous band is also the Aramaic word for ‘the father, my father’?

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Q.  2:  Which popular beverage’s name is the German word for ‘to store’?

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Q.  3:  Cruciverbalists get down sometimes when they get their meaning across. What are cruciverbalists?

.

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Q.  4:  How many zeros are in one trillion when written out in numerical form?

.

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Q.  5:  In which US City was the TV police show ‘Cagney and Lacy’ set?

.

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Q.  6:  In which movies do each of the following play a missionary? (A point for each correct answer)

    a. Katherine Hepburn

    b. Jeremy Irons

    c. Jack Hawkins

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Q.  7:  In which fictional town did the ‘Flintstones’ live?

.

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Q.  8:  Which modern means of transport now usually replaces the richly adorned but antiquated and impractical ‘Sedia Gestatoria’?

.

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Q.  9:  Which two contributions to western tea culture were introduced by US tea merchants, one at the St. Louis world fair in 1904, the other in New York restaurants in 1908?  (A point for each)

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Q. 10:  Which sport legend was given the nickname ‘Le Crocodil’?

.

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Q. 11:  A plot element in a movie is often called which one of the following?

    a. Macbeth

    b. Macduff

    c. MacGuffin

    d. Macleod

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Q. 12:  Who began her show with the words ‘I was born in the Bronx in New York, in December 1941’?

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Q. 13:  In Japan, what is a ‘Gaijin’?

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Q. 14:  On a standard dart board, what is the lowest number that cannot be scored with a single dart?

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Q. 15:  Which millionaire first introduced a free school milk program in Chicago to combat rickets?

    a. Al Capone

    b. Richard W. Sears

    c. Hugh Hefner

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Q. 16:  Which vegetable has the most calories?

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Q. 17:  What was the name of Jacques Cousteau’s boat?

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Q. 18:  Which chivalrous expression is closely associated with the sinking of the HMS Birkenhead in Febuary 1852?

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Q. 19:  Who played ‘Blake Carrington’ in the TV series Dynasty and was also the voice of the ‘boss’ in Charlie’s Angels?

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Q. 20:  Still used today, what is the very popular, though sometimes frightening Anglo Saxon word meaning ‘pledge’? Three letters

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ANSWERS

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Q.  1: The name of which famous band is also the Aramaic word for ‘the father, my father’?

A.  1:  Abba

.

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Q.  2:  Which popular beverage’s name is the German word for ‘to store’?

A.  2:  Lager.

.

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Q.  3:  Cruciverbalists get down sometimes when they get their meaning across. What are cruciverbalists?

A.  3:  Creators or lovers of crossword puzzles

.

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Q.  4:  How many zeros are in one trillion when written out in numerical form?

A.  4:  12  (1,000,000,000,000)

.

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Q.  5:  In which US City was the TV police show ‘Cagney and Lacy’ set?

A.  5:  New York.

.

.

Q.  6:  In which movies do each of the following play a missionary? (A point for each correct answer)

    a. Katherine Hepburn

    b. Jeremy Irons

    c. Jack Hawkins

A.  6:    a. Katherine Hepburn in ‘The African Queen’

            b. Jeremy Irons in ‘The Mission’

            c. Jack Hawkins in ‘Zulu’

.

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Q.  7:  In which fictional town did the ‘Flintstones’ live?

A.  7:  Bedrock.

.

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Q.  8:  Which modern means of transport now usually replaces the richly adorned but antiquated and impractical ‘Sedia Gestatoria’?

A.  8:  The ‘Popemobile(s)’

.

.

Q.  9:  Which two contributions to western tea culture were introduced by US tea merchants, one at the St. Louis world fair in 1904, the other in New York restaurants in 1908?  (A point for each)

A.  9:  Ice tea (1904) and tea bags (1908)

.

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Q. 10:  Which sport legend was given the nickname ‘Le Crocodil’?

A. 10:  Rene Lacoste

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Q. 11:  A plot element in a movie is often called which one of the following?

    a. Macbeth

    b. Macduff

    c. MacGuffin

    d. Macleod

A. 11:  Answer c. it is called a MacGuffin

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Q. 12:  Who began her show with the words ‘I was born in the Bronx in New York, in December 1941’?

A. 12:  Rhoda.

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Q. 13:  In Japan, what is a ‘Gaijin’?

A. 13:  A foreigner. Gaijin means ‘outside person’.

.

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Q. 14:  On a standard dart board, what is the lowest number that cannot be scored with a single dart?

A. 14:  23

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Q. 15:  Which millionaire first introduced a free school milk program in Chicago to combat rickets?

    a. Al Capone

    b. Richard W. Sears

    c. Hugh Hefner

A. 15:  Answer a. Al Capone

.

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Q. 16:  Which vegetable has the most calories?

A. 16:  Avocado.

.

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Q. 17:  What was the name of Jacques Cousteau’s boat?

A. 17:  The Calypso.

.

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Q. 18:  Which chivalrous expression is closely associated with the sinking of the HMS Birkenhead in Febuary 1852?

A. 18:  ‘Women and children first’

.

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Q. 19:  Who played ‘Blake Carrington’ in the TV series Dynasty and was also the voice of the ‘boss’ in Charlie’s Angels?

A. 19:  John Forsythe

.

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Q. 20:  Still used today, what is the very popular, though sometimes frightening Anglo Saxon word meaning ‘pledge’? Three letters

A. 20:  Wed

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======================================

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More Facts – And That’s A Fact!

“Fight Against Stupidity And Bureaucracy”

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Welcome to another selection of random facts and the chance to prepare yourself for questions that you may never be asked.

Enjoy.

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did you know4

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While in Alcatraz, Al Capone was inmate 85.

Alcatraz

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The airport scene at the end of classic movie “Casablanca”

was produced using a cardboard model of a plane

and little people actors in the background!!

casablanca5

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Donkeys kill more people than plane crashes.

donkey-kick

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The White House has 32 bathrooms,

and 6 levels to accommodate all the people

who live in, work in, and visit the White House.

There are also 412 doors, 147 windows,

28 fireplaces, 7 staircases, and 3 elevators.

white house

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Hummingbirds are the only animals that can fly backwards.

hummingbird

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In the great fire of London in 1666 half of London was burnt down

but only 6 people were injured.

Great Fire Of London

.

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Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

woman eye

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Each year there is one ton of cement poured

for each man woman and child in the world.

pouring concrete

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The most common name in Italy is Mario Rossi.

Mario Rossi

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Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails!

fingernails

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Rugby, North Dakota is the geographical center of North America.

Rugby, North Dakota

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Butte County, South Dakota is the geographical center of the U.S.

Geographic-Center-of-the-US-Speafish-SD

.

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No matter where you stand in Michigan,

you are never more than 85 miles from a Great Lake.

michigan map

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The number “four” is considered unlucky in Japan

because it is pronounced the same as “death”.

4

.

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Sylvia Miles had the shortest performance

ever nominated for an Oscar with “Midnight Cowboy.”

Her entire role lasted only six minutes.

Sylvia-Miles

.

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You’re more likely to get stung by a bee

on a windy day than in any other weather.

CARTOON_Bee-full

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The world’s deepest hole is the Sakhali I oil well in Russia

(part owned by Exxon Mobil) which is 12.345 Km. deep (7.67 miles).

Previously to this the Al Shaheen oil well (12.29km or 7.64 miles)

dug in Qatar was the deepest oil well.

kola2

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Spain leads the world in cork production

wine-cork

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A jail in Brazil allows its inmates to pedal exercise bikes

to power lights in a nearby town in exchange for reduced sentences.

bike charger

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The Boston University Bridge

(on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts)

is the only place in the world where a boat can sail under a train

driving under a car driving under an airplane.

Boston University Bridge

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==================================

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Did You Know? More Fab Facts From The Files

“Fight Against Stupidity And Bureaucracy”

.

Yes, more fab facts from the files here at the fasab blog.

These posts are as random as they get so hopefully you should be able to get something out of them no matter what your interests are.

Check them out below.

And enjoy.

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did you know3

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The phone number to the white house is:

(202) 456-1414.

US-WhiteHouse-Logo

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It takes about 63,000 trees to make the newsprint

for the average Sunday edition of New York Times.

The_New_York_Times

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Pucks hit by hockey sticks have reached speeds

of up to 150 miles per hour.

NHL puck

.

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Intelligent people have more

zinc and copper in their hair.

albert-einstein

.

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In every episode of Seinfeld

there is a Superman somewhere.

Seinfeld Superman

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The most poisonous spider is the black widow.

Its venom is more potent than a rattlesnake’s.

Black_widow_Spider

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Fish that live more than 800 meters below

the ocean surface don’t have eyes.

deep sea fish

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Mercury is the only planet

whose orbit is coplanar with its equator.

Mercury

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There is actually no danger in swimming right after you eat,

though it may feel uncomfortable.

wait_30_minutes

.

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Starfish have no brains.

(I know several people like that!)

starfish-2

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The national anthem of Greece has 158 verses.

greek anthem

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Los Angeles’ full name is

“El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula”.

LA

.

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Al Capone’s business card

said he was a used furniture dealer.

capone card 2

.

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A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.

A quarter has 119.

quarter

.

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John Lennon’s first girlfriend

was named Thelma Pickles.

Thelma-Pickles

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You can lead a cow upstairs

but not downstairs.

.

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The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.

HomerSleeping

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There are 336 dimples on a regulation US golf ball.

In the UK its 330.

golf ball

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At the height of its power in 400 BC, the Greek city of Sparta

had 25,000 citizens and 500,000 slaves.

Sparta

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In “Silence of the Lambs”,

Hannibal Lector (Anthony Hopkins) never blinks.

silence of the lambs

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Stupid Quiz Show Answers

“Fight Against Stupidity And Bureaucracy”

.

Regrettably I think we are coming close to end of my supply of stupid quiz show answers. It has been a good series and actually lasted a lot longer than I first thought. And some of them have been very amusing as well. All in all it has been well received.

I’ll call this the penultimate selection. It may contain some repeats, but they made me laugh when I read them again and if they do that then I hope they may do the same for you too.

Enjoy.

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Q. What “U” are the Eastern Europeans who originated the tradition of painting Easter eggs?

A.  Yugoslavians

set-of-painted-easter-eggs

Q.  What “S” is the nearest star to the earth?      

A.  Saturn

Q.  Name a drink you recognize by its smell      

A.  Potatoes

potato-pete

Q.  Something a husband and wife should have separate of       

A.  Parents

Q.  Name a hobby people take up for the thrills involved

A.  Stamp collecting

stamp collector dilemma

.

.

Q.  Name a word that starts with the letter Q      

A.  Cute

Q.  Name a signer of the Declaration of Independence   

A.  Thomas Edison

Edison

Q.  Something that lets a burglar know that a house is unoccupied         

A.  No people in the house

Q.  Like “sugar bowl”, a bowl that’s named for the substance it contains

A.  Toilet bowl

toilet bowl

Q.  Name a fictional island        

A.  Rhode Island

Q. Name one of Santa’s reindeer

A.  Nixon

cool-cartoon-santa-and-reindeer

Q.  Name a beverage you stir before drinking    

A.  Water

Q.  Name the heaviest item in your house

A.  600 pounds

woman-on-scale

Q.  Something starting with “egg”          

A.  Excellent

A.  Eggland

Q.  Name an actor who played a gangster

A.  Al Capone

al copone

Q.  Name a character from the movie Aladdin    

A.  Jihad

Q.  Name something with claws 

A.  Christmas

claws

Q.  A man’s name that starts with the letter “P”   

A.  Porcupine

Q.  Name a pie that does not contain fruit

A.  Lemon Meringue

lemon-meringue-pie

. 

Q.  Name a room in the house where the family gathers  

A.  Bathroom

===========================

 .

Start The Week With An Idiot, Preferably Several – It’s Quiz Show Monday Again!

“Fight Against Stupidity And Bureaucracy”

 .

There are times and places I suppose one shouldn’t laugh, not that I bother too much about that, but one time when it is socially acceptable is on a Monday morning.

Here is your chance to test that out with another selection of ridiculous quiz show answers.

Enjoy.

 

 

Q: Name something roofs are made of  

A: Chalk stuff

 

 

Q: Name something men do when they run out of clean underwear         

A: Turn them inside out 

 

 

Q: Name something that people steal from work

A: Cash register

 

 

Q: Name a famous Peter          

A: Peter

 

 

Q: Name something that finishes the sentence: “You’re slower than…”     

A: Moses         

 

 

Q: Name something you feel before you buy it  

A: Excited        

 

 

Q: Name something you hope your dog doesn’t do right before he licks your head         

A: Burps          

 

 

Q: The ideal daily temperature   

A: 98.6?F         

 

 

Q: Name something with claws  

A: Christmas    

 

 

Q: Name something you wear two of at the same time   

A: Underwear    

 

 

Q: The first thing you take off after work           

A: Underwear

 

 

Q: An occasion for which you stayed up all night           

A: Lost virginity

 

 

Q: Name something that just you know is going break when its warranty runs out

A: Glass

 

 

Q: Name a bird that some people look like when they walk         

A: Dolphin

 

 

Q: Name something you hope your husband never loses (asked to 100 married women)  

A: His pants

 

 

Q: Name something a woman needs to have before she gets married     

A: A pap smear

 

 

Q: Name something babies throw out of their crib          

A: Prayer book 

 

 

Q: Name something that gets wet when you use it          

A: Toilet paper  

 

 

Q: Name something that guests get hit with on Jerry Springer     

A: Keys           

 

 

Q: An occupation that begins with the letter “J”  

A: A jackhammerer

 

 

Q: Name something people take to a bath         

A: Duck

 

 

Q: Name a letter many words begin with

A: Dear John    

 

 

Q: Name something you wish you had one of for each person in your home       

A: A house

 

 

Q: Name something office workers turn off at the end of the day           

A: Their brains  

 

 

Q: An actor who played a gangster       

A: Al Capone    

 

 

Q: Name something you throw away daily          

A: Toilet paper  

 

 

Q: Name a place where you take off your clothes, besides home           

A: School

 

 

Q: Name something you wash more than once per day   

A: Socks

  

 

Q: Name a man’s name that starts with the letter “P”

A: Porcupine

 

 

Q: Name something that rhymes with ‘coke’

A: Toke

 

================================