It’s interesting to note that Panama was selected to be the site of the canal rather than Nicaragua due to the fact that a letter was written to members of Congress using a stamp showing a belching volcano erupting in Nicaragua. Congress was afraid the volcano would destroy the canal.
King Louis XII ordered all of the trash removed from outside of the walls of Paris in 1512. Was he concerned for the health of the citizens’ Nope, he was afraid invaders would be able to climb the garbage and gain entrance to the city.
Speaking of Kings’ King Edward VIII of England was the King for 11 months (January ‘december 1936) before he abdicated to marry Mrs. Simpson. You knew that.
Correction!!!!! A few weeks ago I wrote about Wild Bill Hickok sleeping with newspapers crumpled up around his bed’ said it would alert him if anyone walked on them. In error I said .’ He died in bed .That’s incorrect’ what I meant to say was…’ It must have worked since he didn’t die in bed.’ Rack it up to small keys and large fingers.
So, if you get a card from a friend in Japan and it has a lot of dragonflies on it’ what does that mean’ It would indicate that someone is wishing you good luck.
Fellow by the name of James Hetherington of England got himself arrested in 1797 for wearing what’ A top hat.seems the powers that be decided that it was unsightly and calculated to disturb timid people. Times have changed, haven’t they’
‘ God be with you’ was shortened over the years to just .’ Goodbye’
Speaking of contractions the word ‘ hoax’ is believed to be derived from the word ‘ hocus’ as in ‘ hocus pocus.’
England was the first country to impose a general income tax..Did so in 1799 to finance the war with Napoleon.
In the 1600’s the most popular names for women in this country were..Sarah, Elizabeth and Mary’ Over half the women had these names..
John Adams received $5,000 a year as the fist vice president of the United States George Washington got $25,000.
The first word spoken by man on the moon was.. Houston, ..Tranquility base here. The Eagle has landed.’ spoken by Neil Armstrong on July 20, 1969.
Who was the voice of Superman on the radio way back in the 1940’s (that’s before television) ..None other than Bud Collyer’ went on to become a television emcee.also provided Superman’s voice for a children’s series in the 1960’s.
That television series ‘dallas ‘ was originally named ..Bet you could have guessed ‘ Houston.
Sewing machines were first used by the French government to produce soldiers uniforms in the year 1841.soon stopped since tailors thought they would be out of work.they broke into the factory and destroyed the machines..Testy fellows.
Julia Child, the famous chef’ maybe you didn’t realize it, but she is 6 feet 2 inches tall.
While we’ re on food’ it was Miss Piggy who made the famous statement Never eat more than you can lift.’
The herring is the most widely eaten fish in the entire world.
How many bathrooms in the White House’ 34′ now you know..
Speaking of the White House’ it was Andrew Jackson who had the running water installed in there .
Bet old Andrew didn’t do this’ Herbert Hoover turned over all of his government checks to charity. For 40 years.he was independently wealthy.
James Monroe was the only candidate to run unopposed for President in 1820, except for George Washington.
The average adult has a spinal cord that measures 17 to 18 inches long..weighs in at about 1-‘ ounces.
The largest order of mammals happens to be the rodent family. Bats are second.they have about 950 species.
The sperm whale has the heaviest brain weighing in at over 20 pounds..about 6 times heavier than that of a human.
Demi Moore.the actress’ what’s her real first name’demetria.
Winston Churchill once proposed marriage to what famous actress’ Ethel Barrymore
E. G. Marshall’ the actor has told everyone that the initials E.G .stand for Everyone’s guess his real name is Edda Gunther Marshall.
Bullion Boulevard is located where’ You know this’ it’s at Fort Knox.
What is the only state on the eastern seaboard that has 2 time zones ‘ one in Eastern Time and the other in central’ Florida.
There are 838 stone monoliths on Easter Island in case you want to know’ how’d they get there’ I can’t help you there.
Ever hear of a fellow by the name of William the Silent’ If you lived in the Netherlands you probably would…he founded the country..
Which country imports more American automobiles than any other’ Canada..did you get it right’
What woman is the only woman in history to have married both the King of England and France’ None other than Eleanor of Aquitaine..she married Louis VII of France and then Henry II of England.
The derrick is named for a guy named Thomas Derrick.made his living as an executioner in England. Was responsible for the executions of over 3,000 people during his career.
Treason is the only crime that is defined in the United States Constitution.
There are 11 Finger Lakes in central New York..
Canada has the most remote weather station in the world..it’s called Eureka and is located 600 miles from the North Pole.
If you’ re looking for a desert in Europe’stop looking’ it’s the only continent that doesn’t have one’
The world’s first successful oil well was drilled in Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1859′ Wonder what the price oil was at that time’
Bet you can’t tell me what the largest mountain is on Earth.It’s the Mauna Loa.in Hawaii’ actually a volcano that measures 75 miles by 64 miles and is 13,680 feet tall.
In 1990 what country produced the largest crop of potatoes in the world’ The Soviet Union’ United States came in 5th after.China, Poland and India.