Tuesday, August 3, 2010

50 Amazing Facts

I love facts (I know, I'm a nerd), so when I saw Mental Floss' list of 50 facts for their 50th issue I had to share.

I've included some of my favorites below. To check out the whole list, click here.

1. In 1943, Philip Morris ran an ad acknowledging “smokers’ cough.” They claimed it was caused by smoking brands other than Philip Morris.

2. In the 1970s, Mattel sold a doll called “Growing Up Skipper.” Her breasts grew when her arm was turned.

4. On the 2001 New Zealand census, 53,715 people listed their religion as “Jedi.”

5. Only female mosquitoes will bite you.

9. In 1999, Furbies were banned from the National Security Agency’s Maryland headquarters because it was feared the toys might repeat national security secrets.

11. There was a long-lost fourth member of the Snap/Crackle/Pop gang. “Pow” represented Rice Krispies’ explosive nutritional value.

12. Kool-Aid was originally marketed as “Fruit Smack.”

24. As part of David Hasselhoff’s divorce settlement, he kept possession of the nickname “Hoff” and the catchphrase “Don’t Hassle the Hoff.”

27. The string on boxes of animal crackers was originally placed there so the container could be hung from a Christmas tree.

32. Alaska is the only state that can be typed on one row of keys. (Go ahead and try typing the other 49 states. We’ll wait.)

34. Johnny Cash’s “A Boy Named Sue” was penned by Shel Silverstein, the beloved children’s book author who wrote Where the Sidewalk Ends.

39. That thing you use to dot your lowercase “i” is called a tittle.

44. In 1991, Wayne Allwine, the voice of Mickey Mouse, married Russi Taylor—the voice of Minnie.

45. The sum of all the numbers on a roulette wheel is 666.

47. Utah’s State Bird is the California Seagull.

50. Oscar the Grouch used to be orange. Jim Henson decided to make him green before the second season of Sesame Street. How did Oscar explain the color change? He said he went on vacation to the very damp Swamp Mushy Muddy and turned green overnight.


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