Fascinating Facts and Trivia

Tomorrow is officially the time when Christmas trees, decorations and other stuff is packed away for another 11 months BUT some people wait until Epiphany(6th January) before doing that. The Greek Orthodox Christmas starts on 7th January.

28% of Africa is classified as wilderness. In North America, its 38%.

Charlie Chaplin once won third prize in a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest.

Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying.

Sherlock Holmes NEVER said “Elementary, my dear Watson”

Humphrey Bogart NEVER said “Play it again, Sam” in Casablanca

Quokkas Are the ‘World’s Happiest Animal...

I fed a cracker to a Quokka once when I was there in 1993 on Rottnest Island.

In the 1880s, hosiery businessman LaMarcus Thompson hated that Americans were tempted by hedonistic places like saloons and brothels.

So he set out to straighten up one of the most immoral places he could think of: Coney Island in New York.

There, he built America’s first roller coaster to give New Yorkers some good, clean fun—away from seedier pastimes.

These weird facts might have you changing the way you eat.

Those fresh apples aren’t all that fresh, per say. They’re usually picked between August and November, covered in wax, hot-air dried, and sent into cold storage.

After six to twelve months, they finally land on your grocery store shelves.

Thirteenth-century philosopher John Duns Scotus believed that a pointed cap would help spread knowledge from the tip to the brain, and his “Dunsmen” followers wore them as a badge of honor.

In the 1500s, though, his ideas became less popular and the meaning of the Duns cap (or Duncecap) was turned on its head, becoming something of a joke.

More stuff
They NEVER said “Beam me up, Scotty” on Star Trek.

Sharon Stone was the first Star Search spokes model.

More people are afraid of open spaces (kenophobia) than of tight spaces (claustrophobia).

There is a 1 in 4 chance that New York will have a white Christmas. Fat bloody chance of that happening here!

The Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from Libraries.

The Loganair flight between the two Scottish islands of Westray and Papa Westray lasts just 57 seconds.

At a distance of 1.7 miles, it's the shortest commercial flight in the world.

However, because the trip is made via one of two eight-seater planes, the exact time of the journey could take a bit longer if there are strong winds.

Loganair claims it takes less than a minute "in a favourable wind"

When Canada considered changing the name of the Northwest Territories in 1996, the public was asked for their input. And although various aboriginal names were considered, "Bob" became the second most popular choice.

Fortunately (or unfortunately), the name-changing debate was set aside before "Bob" was put to an official vote.