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