If you had gone to India a few years ago looking for Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, people would probably have told you they had never heard of anyone by that name. Now, if you’d asked where you could find Mother Teresa, they would have known whom you really meant.
When you ask someone…..”How do you do” What do we really mean’ Well, the word ‘do’ originally meant ‘fare’. So, what we’re saying actually asking is …”How do you fare.” Or better said…”How are things going for you? ”
So, in 1812 you’re having your case heard before the United States Supreme Court. How many justices would be there to hear your pleadings’ If you said nine, you’d be incorrect. Until 1869 the number of justices varied from six to ten.
While we’re on that subject, who was the youngest member ever appointed to the United States Supreme Court’ That would be Joseph Story from Massachusetts. He was only thirty-two years old when he was appointed in 1812. Stayed there until 1845.
You might have guessed that the most popular name for males in the world isn’t John or Ching…..It’s actually Muhammad.
There is a bird known as a Nesting Skaus. When it attacks intruders, I’ll bet you didn’t know it usually travels about thirty miles per hour. One hit a biologist and knocked him out cold. Explain that one to your health insurance company.
All of us probably suffer from the phobia known as Ballistophobia. That’s what they call you when you’re afraid of bullets. Who isn’t’
In 1850…proper manners dictated that you would never …”Think about riding on a bicycle while wearing a tail coat, unless you enjoy making a ridiculous show of yourself.”
Everyone knows about the Great Chicago fire of 1871. It was responsible for killing over 300 souls. What you probably didn’t know about was the fire in Peshigo, Wisconsin that didn’t get the same amount of attention. It took the lives of over 600 people. Both occurred at the same time.
Speaking of Chicago….isn’t it really the windiest city in the United States’ Not really. It’s the 16th with an average wind speed of 10.4 miles per hour. The windiest’ That title goes to Great Falls, Montana with the average being 13.1 miles per hour. Great kite country.
So, do you think there was ever a real Mother Goose’ Yep, sure was. Her name was Elizabeth Goose. Married to one Isaac Goose. She lived in New England in 1719. Had 6 children of her own and adopted 10 others. She was said to have written a book of rhymes called …’Mother Goose’s Melodies for Children.’However no copies have ever been found. Other sources say the tales originated in France. Who knows’
When we go to Samoa, remind me not to order the Baked Bat. They serve it baked with salt, pepper and onions once it’s been cleaned and the hair burnt off. Not on my diet.
According to my sources, it’s still illegal in Memphis, Tennessee for a woman to drive a car unless there is someone running or walking in front of the it waving a
red flag to warn approaching motorists and pedestrians.
If someone tried to tell you they had a penguin that had been captured at the North Pole, what could you tell them’ You could say they were mistaken or there was something foul going on here. Penguins only live below the equator, not above it.
In 1921, a boy was born in East London with 14 fingers and 15 toes.
Lobster blood is blue. Human blood, of course is red. Insects have yellow, but you knew that from cleaning your windshield.
One, two, buckle my shoe. Until 1790, all shoes were fastened with buckles. The shoestring was invented in that year. Shoes, not sandals.
I didn’t know that the only part of the human body that has no blood supply is the cornea. It gets its oxygen directly from the air.
Oxford University came into being because Henry II was upset with the King of France. As you recall Henry was having an argument with Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The French King sided with Becket. Henry ordered all of the students who were studying in Paris home. Most of them settled in Oxford and started their own university.
Each American uses on the average… get this….on the average, of 168 gallons of water a day. That’s over 107,000 gallons every year. How do they measure these things’ I’ll find out.
The reason we leave a ‘tip’for the waiter or waitress in the restaurant is because: in years gone by, little boxes were hung on the walls of establishments in England with the words…”To Insure Promptness”. You were expected to drop a few coins in as you were leaving. The signs were later shortened to just say…TIP.
Few people know that a Frenchman named Clement Ader flew his bat-winged airplane for over 156 feet at an altitude of just over 8 inches in 1873. It was powered by a steam engine. He became discouraged and went onto other ventures.
In the Old Testament, nearly every name is an original. There isn’t any repetition such as naming the son for his father.
Brandy and rum were commonly used for cleaning your hair in 1829. It was thought they would keep your hair healthy and make it stronger.
The word ‘Pigsney’is actually a term of endearment. It’s derived from the old Saxon word for girl. Somehow I can’t see anyone being impressed if you used it in today’s conversations.
Juneau, Alaska……. Next time you hear that name, remember that it’s the largest city in the United States in terms of area. Since it merged with Douglas in 1970, it now has 3,108 square miles within its city limits.
Once a grain of sand gets rounded into a spherical shape by the wind and abrasion, it’ll stay that way for millions of years without any further wear.
It’s possible to fit all of the planets in our solar system inside the planet Jupiter. Possible, not probable.
Talk about child support, Mongkut of Siam. The king that was portrayed in “The King and I” had over 9,000 wives and concubines.
I’ll bet you didn’t know that the Nile River in Africa has frozen over at least 2 times. Once in 829 AD and again in 1010.
The Great City of Troy…… Wasn’t. Seems it was a village covering just over 7 acres.
The story of Cinderella has been made into a movie more times than any other. At last count it had been produced over 58 times over the years since it first appeared in 1898.
Women shoplifters outnumber men 5 to 1.
The Presidency of Israel was offered to Albert Einstein. He begged off by saying he “Had no head for human problems.”
Can you tell me what recording artist’s record became number one after they died’ Janis Joplin with her version of “Me and Bobby McGee”. She died in October 1970. The song became number one in the country in March of 1971.
You may have asked yourself why lion tamers use chairs in their acts. Well, the tamer can tell when a lion is concentrating on his prey (the tamer!) by the narrowing of the lion’s eyes and flattening of their ears. By sticking a chair into their face, it breaks the concentration into four points (legs of the chair) thus preventing a bad day for the trainer.
The plants we call poinsettias’ Named after our first Ambassador to Mexico, Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett. During his assignment he found the Mexican plant called “Flower of the Blessed Night.” Sent it home, everyone loved them and now you know.
Clayton Moore, otherwise known as “The Lone Ranger” of television of years gone by. Well, he played Zorro in a serial called…”The Ghost of Zorro” in 1949. We don’t know if it was the same mask or not.
In just 24 hours, bamboo plants can grow up to 3 feet.
If you were expecting the mystery writer Ellery Queen to show up for dinner, you’d better set 2 plates. ‘He’was actually 2 writers named Frederic Dannay and Manfred B. Lee.