Fast Facts
January 11, 2007
- During the18th century, books that were considered offensive were sometimes “”punished”” by being whipped.
American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first class.
When the first atomic bomb was being secretly built by the United States at Los Alamos, N.M., applicants for routine jobs like janitors were disqualified if they could read. Illiteracy was a job requirement. The reason: the authorities did not want their rubbish or other papers read.
The 111th element, Roentgenium, used to be known as Unununium.
A barnacle has the largest penis of any other animal in relation to its body size.
Albert Brooks’ real name is Albert Einstein.
Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, smoked 40 cigars a day for the last years of his life. He was born in 1835, when Halley’s Comet appeared. He died in 1910, when Halley’s Comet returned.
Isaac Asimov is the only author to have a book in every Dewey decimal category. He wrote 515 books.
Phobatrivaphobia is the fear of trivia about phobias.
The longest place name still in use is Taumatawhakatangihangaoauauotameteaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu – a New Zealand hill.
