the Random Useless Fact Thread

[Sirebrus]

In the early days of the telephone, operators would pick up a call and use the phrase, "Well, are you there?". It wasn't until 1895 that someone suggested answering the phone with the phrase "number please?"

[philjohns]

To escape the grip of a crocodile's jaws, push your thumbs into its eyeballs - it will let you go instantly.

[philjohns]

101 Dalmatians, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, and Mulan are the only Disney cartoons where both parents are present and don't die throughout the movie. .

[philjohns]

Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every 2 weeks otherwise it will digest itself.

[Sirebrus]

The surface area of an average-sized brick is 79 cm squared.

[Sirebrus]

According to suicide statistics, Monday is the favored day for self-destruction.

[philjohns]

The citrus soda 7-UP was created in 1929; '7' was selected after the original 7-ounce containers and 'UP' for the direction of the bubbles

[philjohns]

Studies show that if a cat falls off the seventh floor of a building it has about thirty percent less chance of surviving than a cat that falls off the twentieth floor. It supposedly takes about eight floors for the cat to realize what is occurring, relax and correct itself

[philjohns]

In 1912 a law passed in Nebraska where drivers in the country at night were required to stop every 150 yards, send up a skyrocket, wait eight minutes for the road to clear before proceeding cautiously, all the while blowing their horn and shooting off flares

[philjohns]

A person cannot taste food unless it is mixed with saliva. For example, if a strong-tasting substance like salt is placed on a dry tongue, the taste buds will not be able to taste it. As soon as a drop of saliva is added and the salt is dissolved, however, a definite taste sensation results. This is true for all foods.

[Sirebrus]

It is believed that Shakespeare was 46 around the time that the King James Version of the Bible was written. In Psalms 46, the 46th word from the first word is shake and the 46th word from the last word is spear.

[Sirebrus]

Karoke means "empty orchestra" in Japanese.

[Sirebrus]

The Eisenhower interstate system requires that one mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies.

[Sirebrus]

The first known contraceptive was crocodile dung, used by Egyptians in 2000 B.C.

[Sonatina]

If you have 3 quarters, 4 dimes, and 4 pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar.