Did you know the Mediterranean cycles between being dry and flooded?

The climate has periodically flooded or dried out the Mediterranean by raising or lower the sea level at the Straits of Gibraltar (the piece of land jutting out from the southern part of Spain).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messinian_salinity_crisis

Where would you find Republicans in the United States?

Well there's plenty of places, but one interesting location of note is the Oklahoma Panhandle (that's the little "finger" that juts out eastward from the state).

The Oklahoma Panhandle is one of the most universally Republican areas of the nation. In the 2008 U.S. Presidential election, the three counties gave a weighted average of 87.5% of their votes to John McCain and 12.5% to Barack Obama, with McCain carrying the state over Obama 65.6% to 34.4%.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_Panhandle

A space-like vacuum might be closer than you think

Specifically, in your Thermos.

The bottles that you use to keep hot liquids hot and cool liquids cool actually has two layers of metal or plastic with a "near-vacuum" in between them.  The lack of air makes heat transfer very slow, significantly helping to slow temperature change of the contents.

i.e. your coffee is surrounded by "nothing", which means there's nothing to lose heat to, which is why it stays warm inside the thermos!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_flask

Interesting facts about tea

Some neat facts:

• Ireland is the third highest consumer of tea per capita- behind Turkey and Morocco.  They drink a whopping 7 pounds of tea a year.
• Bottled ice tea originates from Switzerland.
• The tea in tea bags is usually the waste that is produced from the "sorting of higher quality loose leaf tea" and thus rarely of comparable quality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_tea_consumption_per_capita

What's it like being a referee in the NFL?

Not one of my typical subjects that I cover on here, but I thought that this three article series by Peter King covering the life of a referee in the NFL to be too good not to bring attention to:

http://mmqb.si.com/2013/12/04/peter-king-spends-week-with-nfl-refs/

If you're at all interested in how the refs live, you should definitely read that.

Father of the US Air Force ended his career in disgrace

General Billy Mitchell was considered the "father of the U.S. Air Force" but lived his life vainly trying to convince others of the importance of air power.

Between WW1 and WW2 he widely championed the development of aircraft for use in war at both the military and media levels.  Unpopular with some of his superiors as a troublemaker and for being disobedient, he was ultimately court-martialed for "conduct of a nature to bring discredit to the military service".  Despite being a popular and effective leader in the first World War, he was found guilty and forced to resign in 1926.

He lived out the remainder of his life writing and pushing for a larger role of aircraft in military operations until his dead in 1936.  Mitchell died too early to see how true his predictions on the importance of aircraft were in World War 2.

http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/1996/June%201996/0696billy.aspx

Yao Ming had it rough

Yao Ming was billed as having the potential to be one of the best basketball players of all time and a symbol of a new era in Chinese athletics.  He was indeed quite good, but his career was cut short by nagging injuries.

However, did you know that he was legally required to play for the Chinese National team?  The extra strain that it put on his body was theorized by some to have led to his future injuries (like stress fractures).

He was also the "first international ever to be selected first overall [in the draft] without having previously played U.S. college basketball."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yao_Ming

OpenOffice discontinued... a while ago

Did you know OpenOffice was discontinued in 2011?  Oracle cancelled the project and fired the developers.  This was surprising to me since I still know many people using it and it comes up in the news occasionally as a free alternative to MS Office.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenOffice.org#Market_share

Pad Thai not Thai?

It was believed to have been brough to Thailand by "Viet traders", and modified to fix the local culinary tastes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pad_Thai

Interesting Catholic demographics

All information from Time's recent article on Pope Francis.

• 33% of the world's population are Christian.  Half of them are Catholic.
• 24% of the United States is Catholic. It's concentrated mostly in the Northeast.  Rhode Island, New Jersey and Massachusetts are the most Catholic states (59%, 43% and 41% Catholic respectively).
• 58% of Latinos in the United States are Catholic.
• Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Italy, Spain and the Phillipines are the only countries which are more than 75% Catholic.

http://timepoy.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/graphic_1_1.jpg

Greater Tokyo has more people than Canada

"In 2000, there were 18 megacities—conurbations such as Tokyo, Seoul, Mexico City, Mumbai, São Paulo and New York City – that have populations in excess of 10 million inhabitants. Greater Tokyo already has 35 million, more than the entire population of Canada (at 34.1 million)."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overpopulation

What does it mean to be "organic" for eggs?

It means:

• Poultry must be fed organic feed
• Egg producers cannot use antibiotics except in the case of an outbreak (no low-level antibiotics all the time
• Must pass basic animal welfare inspection (don't expect much from this)

This includes the fact that the chickens cannot be fed animal byproducts or genetically modified crops.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_egg_production

Ostriches are dangerous

They are capable of "killing or disemboweling a man in a single blow" from their kicks!

Other interesting facts about them:

• Ostriches are only native to Africa.  Some might have thought they could be found in Asia or Australia as well.
• Their stomachs can hold up to 3.5 pounds of stuff, and up to 45% of that could be sand and pebbles which they use to assist their digestion.
• Ostriches raised by humans may perform courtship dances towards their human companions

What is a duffel (or duffle) bag?

This might surprise you.

Duffel bags are technically "large cylindrical bags made of cloth with a drawstring closure at the top".  The name comes from Duffel, a town in Beligum that manufactures the heavy cloth used in their construction.

The odd thing is that many people now consider almost any kind of hand-carryable bag a "duffel bag", even ones with only zippers and no drawstrings!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duffel_bag

Love Mozzarella? Then you better love buffalos.

Mozzarella is traditionally made from Italian buffaloes in southern Italy.

Also of interest: 30% of all cheese put on pizzas in the US are Mozzarella, making it the most common pizza cheese.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_cheese
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozzarella

"George"s in logic

In an incredible coincidence, did you know there is a George Boole and a George Boolos, both of whom are famous logicians?

George Boole lived in the 1800s and is the founder of Boolean logic and to some extent the founder of computer science.

George Boolos lived in the mid to late 1900s and contributed to the field of mathematical logic, as well as creating the "Hardest Logic Puzzle Ever".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Boole
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Boolos

Muay Thai fighters can come in rather small sizes

Lumpinee Stadium in Thailand is considered one of the premier arenas to fight in for Muay Thai.  It is run by the army and all proceeds go towards supporting the army.

One interesting fact about the stadium is that it only has weight classes between 105 and 154 pounds!  For perspective, boxing has weight classes from 105 to 200 pounds, and many more fighters are in the "heavyweight" class (over 200).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumpinee_Boxing_Stadium

What is a Geoduck?

Oddly enough, not a Pokemon.

It turns out it's a clam native to the West Coast of the USA.  Its odd name is believed to be a mistranslation of a Native American word for "dig deep".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoduck

The Danes love their biycles

Denmark is famous for its high rate of bicycle usage, but did you know they even have identification numbers?

All cars produced worldwide have a VIN (vehicle identification number), but in Denmark bicycles have to have their own special, unique VINs as well.

"Since 1948, it has been illegal^[1] to sell bicycle frames in Denmark without an embedded VIN. Because of this, insurance companies in Denmark will not pay indemnities for stolen bicycles without a VIN."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_bicycle_VIN-system

What does "Totaled" mean?

It comes from the insurance industry, where the vehicle is referred to as a "total loss".

What you might not have known is that the definition of a "total loss" can be subjective.  For example, totaled cars are sometimes shipped to developing countries where the cost to restore it (albeit sometimes dangerously below standards) is less.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totaled

Oldest continuing heredity monarchy in the world

Nope, not England.

It's Japan.  The monarchy was founded in 660 BC, and the current emperor is the 125th monarch.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysanthemum_Throne

Hollywood is poor

The famous district of Los Angeles is actually very poor, despite the Tinseltown wealth.

Interesting facts about Hollywood:

• 78k residents in a 3.5 square mile area (2000 census)
• 42% Latino or Hispanic, 41% Non-Hispanic White, 7% Asian, 5% black, 4.5% other
• Median household income of $33,694, low for the general area
• In 2002, held a vote to secede from LA and form its own municipality.  The vote failed by a "wide margin".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood

American Cheese is not really "cheese"

American Cheese is a processed cheese, a combination of different cheeses and artificial ingredients in order to produce a more durable, uniform product.  Unlike other cheeses it melts uniformly (useful for things like cheeseburgers).

In the United States,^[2]it may not be legally sold as "cheese", and must be labeled as "processed cheese", "cheese product", or similar—e.g., "cheese food". At times even the word "cheese" is missing in the name on the label, e.g. "American slices" or "American singles".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_cheese

NFL drop-kick

Did you know that the drop-kick in the NFL, a move that has only been successfully performed once since the 1940s (by Doug Flutie), has to actually hit the ground before being kicked in?  And that it can only bounce once?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop-kick#American_football

Interesting facts about canning (food)

Did you know:

• The art of canning only dates back to 1809?  During the Napoleonic Wars, the French government was looking for a way to preserve food for its soldiers.
• Botulism can result from eating improperly canned foods.  It requires a low acid, low oxygen environment.
• The sale of canned goods goes up during recessions, due to a phenomenon called "cocooning".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canning

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocooning

Corned Beef has nothing to do with corn

At least, not the corn that most people think of.

The term "corned beef" originates from its salting process.

The word corn derives from Old English, and is used to describe any small hard particles or grains.^[2] In the case of "corned beef", the word refers to the coarse granular salts used to cure the beef.^[1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corned_beef

One day, the Northwest Passage will be a well-traveled commercial sea route

The Northwest Passage has always been very hazardous due to the weather and ice conditions.

However, due to global warming, the ice hasn't frozen over as deeply in each successive year, leading to a day when the passage will be open permanently, all-year round.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Passage

Did you know Europeans used to think California was an island?

The Island of California refers to a long-held European misconception, dating from the 16th century, that California was not part of mainland North America but rather a large island separated from the continent by a strait now known instead as the Gulf of California.

One of the most famous cartographic errors in history, it was propagated on many maps during the 17th and 18th centuries, despite contradictory evidence from various explorers. The legend was initially infused with the idea that California was a terrestrial paradise, like the Garden of Eden or Atlantis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_of_California

What does Botox and one of the most dangerous poisons in the world have in common?

They're actually the same thing.

Botox uses the Botulin toxin, an extremely potent paralytic, to paralyze skin muscles and prevent them from wrinkling.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botulin_toxin

Creative names for a sunshower

"The devil is beating his wife" - Southern United States and Hungary
"The devil is kissing his wife" - Tennessee
"The devil is beating his wife and marrying his daughter" - France

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshower

"Who else?"

Michel Bacos was the captain of Air France Flight 139, which was hijacked in 1976 and eventually flown to Uganda before finally being rescued by Israeli commandos (the hijacking was aimed at punishing Israel and the flight took off from Tel Aviv with many Jewish passengers).

When the plane initially landed in Uganda, all the hostages were allowed to leave except the Jewish one.  Bacos, the rest of the flight crew, and several other passengers refused to leave in a show of solidarity.

Eventually, Israeli commandos secretly entered the country and conducted a daring raid to free all the passengers.

After the raid, Bacos was asked if he ever thought the Israeli army would fly thousands of kilometres to rescue them. Looking at the cameras, he said, "Who else?"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Bacos

How dangerous is the Nile Crocodile?

Pretty freaking dangerous.

• Average life span of 70 to 100 years
• Responsible for "hundreds of deaths of humans every year"
• Males can grow up to 12 feet long, and the largest is believed to be 20 feet long
• They can "gallop" around 9 mph, and can swim 22 mph
• They can close their jaws with the force of 5,000 pounds per foot

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nile_crocodile

When Crocodiles are more dangerous than bullets

At the Battle of Ramree Island (off the coast of Burma) in WW2, a Japanese retreat turned disastrous as they fled through a crocodile-infested swamp.

"That night [of the 19 February 1945] was the most horrible that any member of the M.L. [motor launch] crews ever experienced. The scattered rifle shots in the pitch black swamp punctured by the screams of wounded men crushed in the jaws of huge reptiles, and the blurred worrying sound of spinning crocodiles made a cacophony of hell that has rarely been duplicated on earth. At dawn the vultures arrived to clean up what the crocodiles had left. . . . Of about one thousand Japanese soldiers that entered the swamps of Ramree, only about twenty were found alive."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ramree_Island

Origin of the White House Executive Chef

Did you know that the White House Executive Chef position was only created in 1961?  Previously, the food was " supplied by either outside caterers or Navy stewards and were not known for their high standard".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House_Executive_Chef
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Verdon

First Lady of the United States is NOT the President's Wife

The First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is technically the "hostess" of the White House.  Typically this is the President's wife, but not always.

Previously in history this position has been held by other female relatives of the President as well:

"Several women who were not presidents' wives have served as First Lady, as when the president was a bachelor or widower, or when the wife of the president was unable to fulfill the duties of the First Lady herself. In these cases, the position has been filled by a female relative or friend of the president, such as Martha Jefferson Randolph during Jefferson's presidency, Emily Donelson and Sarah Yorke Jackson during Jackson's, Mary Elizabeth (Taylor) Bliss during Taylor's, Mary Harrison McKee during Harrison's presidency, upon her mother's death, and Harriet Lane during Buchanan's."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Lady_of_the_United_States

Please bring a gun with you outside the city limits

In Svalbard, a group of islands north of Scandinavia, you are required to carry a gun when you leave the limits of a town due to the constant threat of polar bears.

"anyone outside of settlements is required to carry a rifle to kill polar bears in self defense, as a last resort, should they attack"

It's also notable as the location of the last surrendering German soldiers of WW2, who were manning a remote meteorological station there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svalbard

Corned Beef contains no corn

Corned Beef just means salted beef.

The word corn derives from Old English, and is used to describe any small hard particles or grains.^[2] In the case of "corned beef", the word refers to the coarse granular salts used to cure the beef.^[1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corned_beef

Chaff, and why neither the Germans nor the Allies used it in WW2

Chaff is a military invention in which small particles of metal or plastic are dispersed in order to create a fake radar signature, an effective defensive counter-measure against missiles and enemy radar tracking.

It was developed in WW2, but both the Germans and the Allied engineers were afraid to deploy it because of how easy it would be to copy.

"Thus for over a year the curious situation arose where both sides of the conflict knew how to use chaff to jam the other side's radar, but refrained from doing so fearing that if they did so the other side would 'learn the trick' and use it against themselves."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaff_(countermeasure)

World Tourism Statistics

Biggest destination for international travelers?  France, with 83 million arrivals in 2012.

However, the top earner is the United States, with a whopping $126.2 billion USD in tourism receipts in 2012.  That's over double the next country, Spain, with $55.9 billion.

The biggest tourism spending country is China, with $102.0 billion USD.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Tourism_rankings

Japanese Samurai expressing their displeasure

In the 1800s, many in Japan took offense to the proliferation of Europeans in their country.  A group of samurai murdered 11 French sailors in what became known as the "Sakai incident".  France demanded a response, so the Japanese government rounded up those responsible and sentenced them to death.

"However, at the execution, indignant samurai threw their own intestines to shock the French who were observing the execution."


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakai_incident

Apache helicopter can carry people!

"The stub-wing pylons have mounting points which make maintenance easier; these mountings can be used to secure personnel to the wings for transport for emergencies."

That does not sound like a fun (or safe) ride.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AH-64_Apache

Embassies are not actually outside the laws of the country they reside in

"Contrary to popular belief, diplomatic missions do not enjoy full extraterritorial status and are not sovereign territory of the represented state."

They are immune to most local laws, but not all.  Their chief privilege is that the host country cannot enter the premises without permission- or violence.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy

1984 and the 2013 mass surveillance reveal

"Sales of Nineteen Eighty-Four increased by up to 7,000% (seven thousand percent) within the first week of the 2013 mass surveillance leaks."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four

Hyperinflation in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is an interesting (and tragic) case of hyperinflation.  Between 1980 and 2000, their rate of inflation fluctuated between 7% and 55%.

In 2001, it was 112%.
2003:                                                                  598%
2006:                                                               1,281%
2007:                                                             66,212%
2008 July:                                             231,150,888%
2009 November:  89,700,000,000,000,000,000,000%

They printed 100 trillion Zimbabwean Dollar notes at one point.  For comparison, in October of 2008, $1 USD was equivalent to Z$ 2.6 trillion.

In 2009, they abandoned their state currency.  They use primarily US dollars now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperinflation_in_Zimbabwe

The Olympic Flame

There are a bunch of interesting stories around the Olympic Flame relay, including dousing attempts, theft, etc.

One of the most unique ones was done by Barry Larkin in Sydney, Australia for the 1956 Summer Olympics.  He and other friends were protesting against Olympic Flame because of its invention in 1936 by Nazis.

Larkin had a fake torch and managed to run from the outskirts of Sydney to the Sydney Town Hall, protected by police who thought he was the real torch carrier.  Larkin presented the torch to the mayor, who launched straight into his speech to the crowd.  By the time he realized it was a fake, Larkin had slipped away.

Cocoanut Grove Fire

The deadliest nightclub fire in history, it killed 492 people and burned down in Boston on November 28, 1942.

The fire led to new standards in fire codes (such as not having only one revolving door as the main entrance) and the name of the nightclub, Cocoanut Grove, has become infamous.

"Later, during the cleanup of the building, firefighters found several dead guests sitting in their seats, with drinks in their hands. They had been overcome so quickly by fire and toxic smoke that they didn't have time to move."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoanut_Grove_fire

Interesting MLB single-game records

In one game:

• Four HRs
• 1 Grand Slam from each side of the plate
• 19 total bases
• Hitting into four double plays
• 6 runs scored
• 26 innings pitched
• 20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game
• Three errors on one play

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_single-game_records

Cher Ami

Continuing on the recent theme of animals serving in wars, a homing pigeon in WW1 saved an American division which was being shelled by its own artillery in France.  The Americans had been trapped behind enemy lines by the Germans and were targeted by American artillery, who did not realize their position.  The first two birds they attempted to send were shot down, but the third, Cher Ami, made it and saved the division.  She was shot in the breast, blinded in one eye, and had one leg blown off.

She survived the war and was sent back to the US as a hero, but later died of her wounds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cher_Ami

"Sorry!" in Germany

There's an ancient Indian game called Pachisi, played in more modern times under the name Ludo.  The game is also marketed as Parcheesi in the United States, and variations of it are Sorry! and Trouble, which are probably the most familiar to an American audience.

Most interestingly, there's a version of the game in Germany called Mensch ärgere dich nicht, which literally translates as "Man, don't get irritated".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludo_(board_game)

Mariano Rivera highlights

Some quick fun facts about the famous NY Yankees closer:

• Born and raised in Panama, he played baseball with improvised bats, gloves and baseball bats
• In 1988 (when he was 19), he played shortstop for a local amateur baseball team.  Was scouted by the Yankees but passed over.
• A year later, his team had such bad pitching that Rivera offered to pitch instead and had an impressive delivery
• A different Yankee scout saw him pitching and ended up bringing him to a tryout camp, where he dazzled as a "raw talent".  He was signed as an amateur free agent for $3000 USD and weighed only 155 pounds at the time.
• In his first minor league season where he pitched relief, he gave up only one earned run in 52 innings pitched (0.17 ERA)
• Rivera's team allowed him to start the final game to make him eligible for a season ERA award and he pitched a seven-inning no-hitter
• Improved his pitch velocity from 89 to 95-96 mph in 1995, which Rivera attributed to God
• Wears uniform #42, one of the last few players with it after the MLB retired it in honor of Jackie Robinson
• "Enter Sandman" was not picked by Rivera for his entrance music, and he was initially indifferent
• During his final All-Star Game in 2013, he was elected MVP despite only recording three outs, and was the first reliever to ever receive the award
• Lowest career Postseason ERA (min 30 IP): 0.70
• Lowest career ERA in Division Series history: 0.32
• Most consecutive scoreless innings pitched: 33.33

TD Garden bidding war

The TD Garden stadium in Boston has an interesting naming history.

When it was being named, it had two banks (Fleet and Shawmut) bidding against each other for its naming rights.  However, in secret upper management was negotiating a merger, unbeknownst to the marketing teams.  Since the banks ended up merging, they effectively bid against themselves.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TD_Garden

How many cars does Ferrari sell in a year?

Astonishingly, a little more than 7,000.  They still manage to make about 2.2 billion euros in revenue a year, though that includes related merchandise (clothing, accessories, etc.) as well.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari

Only dog to ever be enlisted in the Royal (British) Navy

"Just Nuisance" was a Great Dane who served in WW2 in the Royal Navy, albeit never actually deployed at sea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Nuisance

Gustave, the Killer Croc

An exceptionally large Nile Crocodile, he is rumored to have eaten as many as three hundred people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_(crocodile)

Ban on Potlatches

Kind of a bizarre incident in US history:

The Potlatch was a gift-giving festival in the Pacific Northwest of the United States practiced by Native Americans.  Its goal was to boost status through the redistribution of wealth- i.e. the more you gave, the more respected you were.

Oddly enough, it was outlawed in the US and in Canada as being "wasteful, unproductive, and contrary to civilized values."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potlatch

Sergeant Stubby: WW1 Hero Dog

"After being gassed himself, Stubby learned to warn his unit of poison gas attacks, located wounded soldiers in no man's land, and — since he could hear the whine of incoming artillery shells before humans could — became very adept at letting his unit know when to duck for cover. He was solely responsible for capturing a German spy in the Argonne."

"He met Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, and Warren G. Harding."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergeant_Stubby

Shaquille O'Neal: Best shooter ever?

Some interesting facts about a very well-known NBA player:

• Led the NBA in field goal percentage 10 times in his 19 year career.
• Attempted only 22 three-pointers in his NBA career.  Only made one of the shots.
• Second highest career field-goal percentage of all time, at .582
• Averaged 2.3 blocked shots per game

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaquille_O%27Neal#College_career

Spotted Hyenas can eat everything

They can digest almost every part of their prey, including the bones:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_Hyena

Oldest Chinatown in the world?

Established in Manila, Philippines, in 1594:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinatowns

US Military banned from enforcing state laws

Enacted as the Posse Comitatus Act in 1871 post Southern Reconstruction, it prevents the military from being used to enforce domestic law except under authority of Congress (and a few other exceptions).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act

Door to Hell

There has been a natural gas fire burning since 1971 in Turkmenistan that is so large and fiery that it's been called the "Door to Hell".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Door_to_Hell

Fastest growing religion in the jails of England

Buddhism.

This was an oddly-specific fact in the wikipedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claims_to_be_the_fastest-growing_religion

Medal of Honor benefits

In addition to being famous, there are a bunch of neat benefits that go along with  Medal of Honor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor

Namely:

• A monthly pension of $1,237 for the rest of your life, on top of any other payments
• Invitation to all future presidential inaugurations
• By custom, even superiors in the armed forces will salute you

How much do you trust the opposing army? (Battle of Monte Cassino)

This WW2 battle in Italy was famous for being set around a very old, historical monastery.

Due to its significance, the German commander told the allies and the monks that he would not put troops in it, despite its clear value as a high vantage point and defensive position.

The Allies could not believe that he would forgo such an advantage, so they bombed it to the ground anyway.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Monte_Cassino

WW2 Polish Army Pet Bear

Seriously.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wojtek_(soldier_bear)

Adopted by a Polish artillery company, he helped move ammunition with them during the war, played with them, smoked and ate cigarettes.

Mauled by a bear and left for dead with no supplies, mountain man claws his way back to civilization

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Glass

"Near the forks of the Grand River in present-day Perkins County, in August 1823, while scouting alone for game for the expedition's larder, Glass surprised agrizzly bear mother with her two cubs. Before he could fire his rifle, the bear charged, picked him up, and threw him to the ground. Glass got up, grappled for his knife, and fought back, stabbing the animal repeatedly as the grizzly raked him time and again with her claws.

Glass managed to kill the bear with help from his trapping partners, Fitzgerald and Bridger, but was left badly mauled and unconscious. Henry (who was also with them) became convinced the man would not survive his injuries.

Henry asked for two volunteers to stay with Glass until he died, and then bury him. Bridger (then 17 years old) and Fitzgerald stepped forward, and as the rest of the party moved on, began digging his grave. Later claiming that they were interrupted in the task by an attack by "Arikaree" Indians, the pair grabbed Glass's rifle, knife, and other equipment, and took flight. Bridger and Fitzgerald incorrectly reported to Henry that Glass had died.

The Odyssey to Fort Kiowa[edit]

Despite his injuries, Glass regained consciousness. He did so only to find himself abandoned, without weapons or equipment, suffering from a broken leg, the cuts on his back exposing bare ribs, and all his wounds festering. Glass lay mutilated and alone, more than 200 miles (320 km) from the nearest American settlement at Fort Kiowa on the Missouri.

In one of the more remarkable treks known to history, Glass set his own leg, wrapped himself in the bear hide his companions had placed over him as a shroud, and began crawling. To prevent gangrene, Glass laid his wounded back on a rotting log and let the maggots eat the dead flesh.

Deciding that following the Grand River would be too dangerous because of hostile Indians, Glass crawled overland south toward the Cheyenne River. It took him six weeks to reach it.

Glass survived mostly on wild berries and roots. On one occasion he was able to drive two wolves from a downed bison calf, and feast on the meat. Reaching the Cheyenne, he fashioned a crude raft and floated down the river, navigating using the prominent Thunder Butte landmark. Aided by friendly natives who sewed a bear hide to his back to cover the exposed wounds as well as providing him with food and a couple of weapons to defend himself, Glass eventually reached the safety of Fort Kiowa.

After a long recuperation, Glass set out to track down and avenge himself against Bridger and Fitzgerald. When he found Bridger, on the Yellowstone near the mouth of the Bighorn River, Glass spared him, purportedly because of Bridger's youth. When he found Fitzgerald, he discovered that Fitzgerald had joined theUnited States Army, Glass purportedly restrained himself because the consequence of killing a U.S. soldier was death. However, he did recover his lost rifle."

Ninja Miners

Not what you might think, but still interesting.  In Mongolia there are illegal minors who carry a green shell on their backs for their finds, making them resemble Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Seriously.  I can't make this stuff up even if I tried.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_miner

Zud!

Did you know the Mongolians have a special name for winters that are so cold or snowy that they prevent their livestock from grazing?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zud

Green crop circles in the desert

They're a product of center-pivot irrigation, which is essentially a water source in the middle that leads to a long, straight sprinkler pipe that rotates in a circle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_pivot_irrigation

Who owns nuclear weapons in the United States?

Oddly enough, the Department of Energy, not the Department of Defense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilian_control_of_the_military

What's the largest rebellion in the United States since the Civil War?

I bet you can't name it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Blair_Mountain

It was a battle between unionizing mine workers and the mine operators (including their paid army and sympathetic government officials).

SEO Contests

Did you know that there are contests out there to test people's abilities to manipulate search engine optimization techniques?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEO_contest

They pick a nonsensical phrase and then race to see who can get to the top of the page rankings first and longest.

Barrier Troops

Did you know the Russian Army had units specifically devoted to shooting men who tried to retreat?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrier_troops

"Not one step back!"

Stobie Poles

Famous in Australia, where parts of the country have very few tall trees, the Stobie Pole is an iconic piece of the landscape.

It's also really useful if you're playing geoguessr.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stobie_pole

The right to privacy in a public area

An interesting Supreme Court case in 1967 that ruled that people have a certain expectation to privacy in public areas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katz_v._United_States

This case dealt with a man who was eavesedropped by the FBI while using a public payphone.

Googlewashing

Googlewashing is the term used for manipulating search engine optimization techniques to redirect a theoretically unrelated search phrase to a specific target.

For example, searching Google for "miserable failure" and having George W. Bush show up as the first result.

The wikipedia article is most interesting for the list of previously completed googlewashes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Googlewashing

US Army deserters in the Mexican-American War

Did you know a number of (predominately Irish) soldiers deserted from the US Army and served in the Mexican Army in the Mexican-American War?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Battalion

They fought especially well and bravely, outperforming their Mexican brethren in several battles.  Ultimately, they were almost all hung or shot for desertion.

At the Battle of Churubusco:
"Though hopelessly outnumbered and underequipped, the defenders repelled the attacking U.S. forces with heavy losses until their ammunition ran out and a Mexican officer raised the white flag of surrender. Officer Patrick Dalton of the San Patricios tore the white flag down, prompting Gen. Pedro Anaya to order his men to fight on, with their bare hands if necessary.^[31] American Private Ballentine reported that when the Mexicans attempted to raise the white flag two more times, members of the San Patricios shot and killed them.^[42][43] After brutalclose-quarters fighting with bayonets and sabers through the halls and rooms inside the convent, U.S. Army Captain James M. Smith suggested a surrender after raising his white handkerchief."

Fun facts about the English Monarchy

• A law, still in effect, prevents Roman Catholics from being the monarch, or anyone who marries a Catholic
• The monarchs are paid from revenues generated by the Crown Estate, which has long since been ceded to the government
• Since 1993, the Queen has had to pay income and capital gains tax
• The Queen's full title is: "Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith"

What's the fourth most populous country in the world?

This one was a total surprise to me:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population




...Indonesia!

Stones that move on their "own"

"Sailing stones" are a scientific curiosity- rocks that move across stretches of ground without any human intervention.  Some of them are quite large, and there are those who believe that the primary theory of locomotion (wind) can not possibly move the largest stones.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailing_stones

Did you know there are giant freshwater lakes under Antartica's surface?

Of these, Lake Vostok is the largest and most well-known:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Vostok

Because the lakes are isolated from the surface by the ice, they've become a unique and extreme environment for the development of microbes separated from the rest of the world.  A deep ice core sample was taken from Vostok in order to study the microbes.

Scrap hunting can be dangerous

There was a famous incident in Brazil when an abandoned hospital was scavenged by locals who came across an old radiotherapy machine.  Still radioactive, it was spread from junkyard to junkyard, contaminating everyone who came in contact with it and killing several, including a six-year-old girl.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goi%C3%A2nia_accident

Did you know there have been naturally occurring nuclear reactors?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_nuclear_fission_reactor

It requires a very special combination of physical factors (especially water) and a high concentration of uranium.  Only one occurrence has ever been discovered, which was in Africa and occurred 1.7 billion years ago.

Deep underground long-term nuclear waste disposal

A long-term nuclear waste storage plant currently under construction is the WIPP in New Mexico:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_Isolation_Pilot_Plant

An interesting fact about it is the labels and warning signs.  In theory, despite the depth and the layers of concrete and metal, someone could stumble across it in the future.  The Department of Energy is working on creating a "warning" label or image that would stand the test of time.  It currently consists of a warning in the six U.N. languages as well as pictograms.

Did you know bok choy is a type of cabbage?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bok_choy

Circle the wagons!

In 1867, Americans "circled the wagons" against a Native American assault.  They used advanced repeating rifles to hold off an attack that dramatically outnumbered them, setting an example for many future stereotypes of frontiersmen holding off Indians on horseback with bows and arrows besieging them:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagon_Box_Fight

One suitcase brand that you should know

The Zero Haliburton is a very famous suitcase that's known for carrying US nuclear launch codes, in addition to being a prop in many movies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_Halliburton

A special security clearance for working with the US President

"Yankee White" is a difficult security clearance to get that is required to work directly with the President.

"The Yankee White clearance includes requirements for U.S. citizenship and unquestionable loyalty to the United States."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yankee_White

One of the most decisive battles you've never heard of

The Battle of Inchon, Korean War:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Inchon

At a time when American troops were being steadily driven backwards, General MacArthur (of WW2 fame) ordered a daring amphibious landing behind enemy lines that quite possibly changed the course of the war.

The most produced ammunition in the world is...

The .22 Long Rifle rimfire.

Inexpensive, used in many guns and with low recoil, this ammunition is extremely popular (~2-2.5 billion rounds produced annually) despite not being widespread in any military application.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.22_LR

Rimfire vs. Centerfire ammunition

I think everyone is familiar with centerfire ammunition- i.e., a cartridge that, when struck in the center of its rear, ignites propellant and drives the bullet forwards.

Interestingly, there is another (very popular) means of igniting the propellant called rimfire:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rimfire_ammunition

It relies on compressing the side of a "rim" in the rear of the bullet to cause ignition.

Astronauts carry passports and other documentation on shuttle flights?

Shuttle Down was a novel that portrayed the Space Shuttle being forced to make an emergency landing at the most remote airport in the world on Easter Island.  It then went on to discuss how to repair and fly the shuttle back to the United States, which was made difficult by the size of the airport and the lack of documentation on the part of the astronauts (after all, who carries their wallets into outer space?).

"In real life, and shortly after publication of this book, the United States paid the Chilean Government to improve the facilities at Mataveri International Airport on Rapa Nui in case of just such an emergency, and the airport now has a relatively long runway.^{[citation needed]}

In addition, astronauts now carry passports and other documents, including traveller's cheques, in case of emergency landings.^{[citation needed]"}

^{Do I believe that?  Maybe not.  But still a fun thought nonetheless.}

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuttle_Down

The first country to develop an automatic rifle was...

Mexico!  Bet you didn't expect that.

It was patented in 1887 (for comparison, the next automatic rifle, the Browning Automatic Rifle, was developed in 1917) and was called the Mondragón rifle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_rifle

The Warsaw Uprising

Quite possibly the biggest WW2 battle you've never heard of.

On August 1, 1944 the Poles in Warsaw staged a revolt against their German overlords when the Soviet Army neared the city.  Believing the battle to be short and assistance from the Soviets soon forthcoming, they were ultimately crushed as they received virtually no foreign support.

The Soviets were (allegedly) unwilling to assist because they wanted to secure authority in Poland without allowing the government-in-exile legitimacy because of a successful revolt.  The Allies didn't want to help because they feared angering the Soviets (who also forbade the use of their airports to the Allies who wished to drop supplies).

After about a month, the resistance was forced to surrender.  The entire civilian population was transferred out of the city and the buildings were burned.  In total, about 85% of the city was destroyed by January 1945.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Uprising

Kar98k in Israel

The Kar98k was the standard service rifle for the German Army in World War II.

Interestingly (and somewhat ironically), it also played a role in the initial defense of Jewish settlements in Israel:

"The use of the Karabiner 98k to establish the nation-state of Israel often raises a lot of interest among people and rifle collectors today. Many Jewish organizations in Palestine acquired them from post–World War II Europe to protect various Jewish settlements from Arab attack as well as to carry out guerrilla operations against British Army forces in Palestine.

The Haganah, which later evolved into the modern-day Israel Defense Forces, was one of the Jewish armed groups in Palestine that brought large numbers of Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles and other surplus arms (namely the British Lee-Enfield bolt-action rifle, which was used on a large scale by these groups and theMosin-Nagant) from Europe during the post–World War II period. Many, though not all, Israeli-used German surplus Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles have had theirNazi Waffenamt markings and emblems stamped over with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hebrew arsenal markings."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karabiner_98k

Ted Turner

Bunch of interesting facts here:

• He's managed to get one billion dollars donated to the United Nations ($600 million personally)
• He's a Civil War buff and played a Confederate officer in the movie Gettysburg
• He created the show Captain Planet and the Planeteers (Turner is an avid environmentalist)
• He never graduated from his college, Brown University, due to being discovered with a women in his dorm room

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Turner

US Army desertions

Did you know that the US Army has had only one desertion in Iraq?

Also, that while execution is still the highest punishment for desertion, it hasn't been used since 1945?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AWOL#Absence_without_leave
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Slovik

US Armed Forces vacation accrual

Did you know that US Armed Forces receives 30 days of leave (accruing 2.5 days a month) a year?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leave_and_Earnings_Statement

That's in addition to "passes" which are time off without taking any of their leave time, which can be awarded for various reasons.

Jewish Law in the Polar Regions

There are many aspects of Jewish religious laws that deal with the time of day (e.g. after sundown).  In the polar regions, there are times of the year when they can have no "night" whatsoever.  This wasn't a problem for Jews historically, but as they moved to more northern areas (such as Iceland) this became an issue:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_law_in_the_polar_regions

Charles Mason

Who is he, you might ask?  Nobody, really.  At least, nobody particularly famous for his own achievements.

However, he is notable as being the first ranked student of his class at West Point, ahead of a very famous Civil War general named Robert E. Lee.

"Mason and Lee were tied for the head of the class in Artillery, Tactics, and Conduct, but Mason bested Lee in all other subjects and graduated with an overall score of 1995.5 points out of a possible 2000, compared to Lee's 1966.5."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Mason_(attorney)

Bolivian Navy

Bolivia lost its access to the coast to Chile in a war in 1879, but that hasn't prevented it from maintaining a navy.  Its navy has ships and performs maneuvers on a large lake instead of the ocean.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolivian_Navy

Women's Suffrage in Liechtenstein

Did you know that women in Liechtenstein could not vote until 1984, the latest of any European country?  And that when they did have a referendum on it, it only passed with 51.3% of the vote, and that's with 86.2% of the eligible population (only men) voting.  The difference was a mere 119 votes.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liechtenstein_women%27s_suffrage_referendum,_1984