Fun Friday Fact - hope you respond weekly to give us all a smile

[Jani]

Well, my appetite for Turkey day knowledge is sated! 

[Heather Shay]

thank you @miz miranda I knew the Sarah Josepha Hale fact. I used to have a trio who did 1800's American music and we did an Andrews Sisters version of Mary and told the story of Sarah and that she was editor of famous ladies magazine at the time.

[Davie]

On 11/5/2021 at 2:11 PM, miz miranda said:

he average person now spends almost 10 hours a day online – we spend more time on the Internet that we do sleeping!

I thought all that time on the Internet WAS sleeping! No?

Guess I've been doing it wrong. (Except for TGPulse of course).

[Heather Shay]

 

A jiffy is an actual measure of time.

It is calculated as 1/100th of a second. This is 10 milliseconds.

Left-handed people are better at particular sports.

Mainly those that involve spatial judgment and fast reactions. This was stated by a research study comparing the performance of left-handed and right-handed athletes. 

The Goodyear blimp is the official bird of Redondo Beach.

While it may not be a bird per se, the coastal city still named it as such. Redondo Beach is situated near the Goodyear Blimp’s home airport in California.

 

 

 

[miz miranda]

 

T-shirt was invented in 1904 and marketed to bachelors who couldn’t sew or replace buttons.

The origin of t-shirts dates as far back as to the beginning of 20th century. In 1904, there was an advertisement made by Cooper Underwear Company to sell their new products to bachelors without a wife or sewing skills to sew back the buttons on their shirts. The t-shirts back then were completely white to be worn under a normal shirt as an undershirt. By the 1940’s, the Americans picked up the trend as well and were soon used by members of the US Navy to be worn under their uniform.

 

 

Putting candles on birthday cakes dates back to the ancient Greeks, who often burned candles as offerings to their many gods & goddesses. It was their way to pay tribute to the Greek moon goddess, Artemis. Round cakes symbolized the moon. Candles were added to represent the reflected moonlight.

The custom of ancient Greeks to put candles in round baked cakes wasn’t the only instance in history where birthdays were celebrated that way. Long ago in Germany, too, people used to put candles on cakes as a tradition for religious reasons. They would place a huge candle in the middle of the a cake to symbolize “light of life”

 

Pineapples once cost $8000 each and were considered such luxurious novelty that those who couldn’t afford one would pay rent for a night to display at their parties.

When Christopher Columbus took back some pineapples to Spain in 1493, the Europeans loved the taste of these exotic fruits. But, when they tried to grow them they failed because pineapples need tropical climates. So the only way they could get the fruit was by importing them from across the Atlantic Ocean, which apparently takes a very long time, not to mention the fruit could get bruised or rotten. And in the 1700’s, those living in the American colonies had to import them from the Caribbean islands, which meant they would be absurdly expensive, which was why they soon became a symbol of wealth and status. However, they were only eaten when there signs of rot and used for decorative purposes until then.

 

 

 

[Kasumi63]

On 10/22/2021 at 11:24 PM, Heather Shay said:

• It’s a common tradition in Japan to eat KFC on Christmas. In order to ensure they get their fried chicken, over three million people a year preorder their Christmas meal, sometimes months in advance.

Sad but true. I have done my best to discourage friends and acquaintances from following this ridiculous tradition, but alas, I am no match for the genius of US advertising. Now if I can only find some eggnog (close to impossible to find over here)!

[Heather Shay]

 All clownfish are born male, and will only change sex to become a dominant female.

[Billie75B]

45 minutes ago, Heather Shay said:

 All clownfish are born male, and will only change sex to become a dominant female.

Ha and the transphobes say there is no transgender in nature  

[Astrid]

I find it much easier when people respect this simple requirement when they approach me with any issues...

[miz miranda]

Guinness World Records records Seattle-based Northgate Mall’s 221-foot Douglas fir as the tallest Christmas tree ever erected. The L.A. Times, citing a 1950 Life magazine article and the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index inflation calculator, reported the tree cost $19,000 at the time and $185,000 when adjusted.

IMAGE: English Book in Georgia

 

Guinness World Records also records the world’s tallest snowman — or woman, rather. Residents of Bethel, Maine, pitched in on the 122-ft, 1-inch tall creation who measures just a few feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty (also a woman). Girl power!

 

and a little Christmas science

 

PopSci estimates Santa Claus would have to travel an average speed of 5.083 million miles per hour based on a 24-hour cycle to hit each household on Christmas Eve. It bases this on 2.67 children per household, with 75 million households worldwide. The speed of light is 671 million mph. So if we ever get there, presents for everyone!

[Davie]

2 hours ago, Billie75B said:

Ha and the transphobes say there is no transgender in nature  

Ha! There are no transphobes born from humans—they're born of ignorance and hatred—and they have to be carefully taught. 

— Davie

[Marcie Jensen]

Love the  tree! It's nice to see some Christmas stuff.

[Susan R]

3 hours ago, miz miranda said:

Guinness World Records records Seattle-based Northgate Mall’s 221-foot Douglas fir as the tallest Christmas tree ever erected.

Wow, That is one tall tree! The Northgate mall sure has changed since that picture was taken…it’s unrecognizable from what it’s become today. 

[Heather Shay]

To easy to give a Christmas fact so - I decided on.....

 

The wood frog can hold its pee for up to eight months.

Shutterstock/Jay Ondreicka

Talk about having to go! Wood frogs in Alaska have been known to hold their urine for up to eight months, sticking it out through the region's long winters before relieving themselves once temperatures increase. The urine actually helps keep the animal alive while it hibernates, with special microbes in their gut that recycle the urea (urine's main waste) into nitrogen.

[Marcie Jensen]

Now that's what I call bladder control!

 

[Aggie1]

On 12/10/2021 at 9:59 AM, miz miranda said:

PopSci estimates Santa Claus would have to travel an average speed of 5.083 million miles per hour based on a 24-hour cycle to hit each household on Christmas Eve. It bases this on 2.67 children per household, with 75 million households worldwide. The speed of light is 671 million mph. So if we ever get there, presents for everyone!

I believe that! I have read the "historical documents" and they say that Santa Claus can travel in the "twinkling of an eye" which is a poetic way of saying "at the speed of light!" Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah!

[miz miranda]

Here's some Friday facts:

 

In the U.K. and Australia, Friday is sometimes referred to by the acronym “POETS Day,” which stands for “Piss Off Early Tomorrow’s Saturday.”

 

In the maritime world, it is considered highly unlucky to begin a voyage on a Friday.

 

In 1719 the Daniel Defoe novel Robinson Crusoe, the main character meets a native to the island he’s stranded on, with whom he cannot communicate at first. Crusoe and calls him Friday as this is the day of the week when he meets him.

 

Fridays are, statistically, supposed to be the days of the week where war is mostly likely to be declared. Seems as though leaders prefer starting conflicts at weekends, though we can’t really figure that logic out.

 

The idea of Fridays being unlucky also seems to strangely lend itself to accident data from insurance companies. Research and data collation appears to suggest that more people have accidents on a Friday than any other day of the week.

[Aggie1]

4 hours ago, Heather Shay said:

To easy to give a Christmas fact so - I decided on.....

 

The wood frog can hold its pee for up to eight months.

Shutterstock/Jay Ondreicka

Talk about having to go! Wood frogs in Alaska have been known to hold their urine for up to eight months, sticking it out through the region's long winters before relieving themselves once temperatures increase. The urine actually helps keep the animal alive while it hibernates, with special microbes in their gut that recycle the urea (urine's main waste) into nitrogen.

Give me some of those microbes!!!

[Mmindy]

There are more Airplanes in the sea, than there are Submarines in the Sky.

 

Just say'n

 

Mindy

[Heather Nicole]

On 12/17/2021 at 4:38 PM, Mmindy said:

There are more Airplanes in the sea, than there are Submarines in the Sky.

 

Just say'n

 

Mindy

 

I love this one! I'm definitely going to remember it.

[Heather Shay]

Sorry - forgot to post yesterday..............

3. Pot-Scraper, Meat Hook and the Other Christmas Trolls

Children in Iceland don’t just wait for Santa to arrive. They also await 13 mischievous trolls called the Yule Lads. The Lads have names like Gimpy, Pot-Scraper, Bowl-Licker, and Meat Hook, and though today they are said to leave gifts for good children, it used to be thought that they stole food, slammed doors, and generally terrorized Icelandic homes. They were also said to kidnap children to bring to their terrifying mother…

Flickr

2. Hungry Mamma

As if they Yule Lads weren’t creepy enough, Icelanders also tell children about their horrifying mother Grýla. She’s a hoofed half-ogre, half-troll who’s covered in warts and has large, terrifying horns. She gets her children to snatch bad boys and girls from their homes at Christmas so she can cook and eat them. This story was so terrifying to Icelandic children that the government eventually had to ban using the story of Grýla and the Yule Lads as an intimidation tactic to make children behave.

Wikimedia Commons

1. You’d Better Pray for Socks This Christmas

Just to make the story a little bit more frightening, Grýla and the Yule Lads also have a cat, known as Jólakötturinn, or the Yule Cat. It sounds friendly enough, but this monstrous cat is said to devour anyone who doesn’t receive an article of clothing for Christmas. Sounds like socks aren’t such a bad present, if you live in Iceland.

[Heather Shay]

Being NYE - thought I'd bring in superstitions of the day....

Get a Midnight Kiss

 

 

BETTMANNGETTY IMAGES

It may seem like kissing someone at midnight is a way to show your excitement for the new year. But actually, it's thought that if you kiss someone you love as the clock strikes midnight, those sentiments will continue for the next 12 months.

Eat 12 Grapes (no more, no less) at Midnight

 

 

MIRCEAXGETTY IMAGES

This food superstition that originated in Spain is meant to bring you luck for the year ahead. Just eat 12 grapes at midnight—one for every month—or put them on a skewer and serve as a fun New Year's Eve cocktail garnish.

Open Those Doors at Midnight

 

 

ALEX POTEMKINGETTY IMAGES

Actually, just before midnight, so you can let the old year out and welcome the new one. (It doesn't have to be for long—even those who believe in this superstition can get cold!)

Avoid the Tears

 

 

DEBROCKE/CLASSICSTOCKGETTY IMAGES

Save your tears for another day, because crying on New Year's Day could set a year of sadness in motion.

Don't Leave the House...

 

 

H. ARMSTRONG ROBERTS/CLASSICSTOCKGETTY IMAGES

...until someone enters from the outside first. And who that person is will supposedly will say a lot about the luck you'll have in the new year. (In Scotland, the first person in your home also has to bring you a gift!)

Make Some Noise

 

 

JOHN SPRINGER COLLECTION

You may love buying noisemakers and fireworks to set off at midnight =, but did you know the tradition originated from a superstition that making loud noise at midnight would scare evil spirits and omens away?

Eat Herring

 

 

LUZA STUDIOSGETTY IMAGES

Whether you like your herring pickled or fresh, eating it in some form at midnight is considered good luck in Germany and Sweden.

Carry an Empty Suitcase Around

 

 

KEYSTONEGETTY IMAGES

It can just be around your house for a few minutes, but in Colombia, it's seen as setting yourself up for adventures in the new year.

 

[Davie]

Wow! Amazing! It very rarely happens but New Year's Day this year,

has landed smack dab on the first day in January! Amazing. Who knew?

 

 

[Ivy]

Surprising, huh?

[Marcie Jensen]

Adding to the food superstitions, in the south, eat blackeyed peas on New Year's day for good luck.