Irrelevant facts for the curious

It is still raining in Durban. We spent the weekend at Simbiti and it rained there
too. Seems that we are insisting on staying within the 20% rain forecast areas
where it’s actually 100% rain non-stop. That probably didn’t make sense, ask Ilan,
it is his explanation of how these forecasts work, and my brain is clogged up
with snot. Sorry, gross. I have been sneezing and nose blowing for more than
24 hours now and not even Corenza is helping much.
So for those that are here looking for quality incites,
you might find some amazing information in the following items.

1. In the 1400's a law was set forth that a man was allowed to beat his wife

with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have "the rule of thumb".

2. Many years ago in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was ruled "Gentlemen

Only...Ladies Forbidden"...and thus the word GOLF entered into the English

language.

3. The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and

Wilma Flintstone.

4. Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the US Treasury.

5. Men can read smaller print than women; women can hear better.

6. Coca-Cola was originally green.

7. It is impossible to lick your elbow.

8. The average number of people airborne over the US any given hour: 61,000.

9. Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

10. The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.

11. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:

     Spades - King David

     Hearts - Charlemagne

     Clubs - Alexander, the Great        

     Diamonds - Julius Caesar

12. 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

13. If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the

air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the

person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four

legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

14. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you

would find the letter "A"?......One thousand.

15. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser

printers all have in common?......All invented by women.

16. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?......Honey.

17. 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. Hence the phrase........."goodnight, sleep tight."

18. It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month

after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the

mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar

based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the

honeymoon.

19. In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when

customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them "Mind your pints and

quarts, and settle down." It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's."

20. Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim,

or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the

whistle to get some service. "Wet your whistle" is the phrase inspired by this

practice.

Believe it or not, you can read it. 

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg. The

phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde

Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny

iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The

rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is

bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a

wlohe. Amzanig huh? 

~~~~~~~~~~~AND FINALLY~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

At least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow...

(From Flarepath, submitted by Jeremy Impey - jimpey@wol.co.za)