I think I’ll start your week with a few items of truly useless information. You can never have enough of this wonderful stuff and I intend to keep shoveling it your way until I run out. So sit back in your seat and enjoy.
-
Mr. Potato Head was the first toy advertised on TV.
-
Malaria mosquitoes are attracted to ripe Limburger cheese and smelly feet.
-
A fetus acquires fingerprints by the end of the first trimester.
-
Every 20 minutes the world population increases by 3500.
-
Toilet paper was invented by the Chinese in 1391 for the exclusive use by the emperor.
-
The two robbers crucified next to Jesus were Dismas and Gestas.
-
Disney World in Orlando, Florida, covers 30,500 acres (46 square miles).
-
Butterflies are cannibals.
-
Tigers have striped skin under their hair but zebra’s don’t.
-
Monkeys have no feet, they are classified as four-handed.
-
Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, leeches and maggots are categorized as medical devices.
-
You can in fact get cooties. Cooties are lice.
-
Poison Ivy is a member of the Cashew family.
-
In late 1600’s Puritan society, a child over 16 years old convicted of cursing at a parent was sentenced to death.
-
E T A O I N S H R D L U C M F G Y P W B V K X J Q Z: The alphabet in order of its frequency of use in written English
Well, there you have it. See just how many useless facts you were unaware of. As a reminder, I get a ten percent of all bar bet winnings. Just so you know.
During my wanderings yesterday I stumbled on a new treasure trove of absolutely useless information expanded to include virtually every country on the planet. I felt just like a little kid in a candy store. These factoids and tidbits are much more interesting than some I’ve previously found and I’m happy to be sending them along to you. Where I can I’ll note the source of the material and if you dispute the information call them.
There is no rhyme or reason as to how they are listed so just wade on through and enjoy.
-
At birth, most babies cry at C or C Sharp. – Financial Times
-
Five people were killed by falling icicles in the central Russian town of Samara between February 23 and 25, 2008. – Reuters
-
On a QWERTY keyboard, 32% of keystrokes take place on the middle row, 52% on the upper row, and 16% on the bottom row. – Discover Magazine
-
In ninety days a single toad can consume nearly 10,000 insects. – State of the World
-
Hitler was on the short list for the 1938 Nobel Peace Prize. – The Guardian
-
Two thirds of the world’s people have never seen snow. – Canadian Weather Trivia Calendar
-
The average British woman spends two years of her life gazing in the mirror. – The Times
-
Every year, an average of twelve Japanese tourists in Paris have to be repatriated due to severe culture shock. – Foreign Policy Passport
-
Henry David Thoreau once burned down three hundred acres of forest trying to cook a fish he had caught for supper. – The Times
-
On an average day, about 3.3% of the worlds population has sex. Less than 0.4% of these acts result in births. – Financial Times
-
Asians make up 35% of the undergraduate body at MIT but only 4% of the US population. – New York Book Review
-
There are an estimated 10,000 trillion ants on earth – roughly 1.6 million for each human. Their combined weight is equivalent to that of the entire human population. – MSN
-
Spammers typically need to send one million emails to get fifteen positive responses. – The New Yorker
-
Jack Bauer, the lead character from the series 24, personally killed 112 people in the first five seasons of the show. – The Guardian
-
About 85% of Chinese people share only a hundred surnames. Wang is the most popular (with 93 million people), followed by Li (92 million) and Zhang (88 million). At least 100,000 people are named “Wang Tao,” making it the most popular full name. – China Daily
There you have it. The first installment of International Trivia. It’s nice to see that we Americans are not alone when it comes to weirdness and odd behavior. Carry on.
Welcome back to the E.U.T. University the best known reservoir of totally useless knowledge. You’ll learn through our detailed courses of study many of the things that have puzzled mankind for centuries. We’ll continue our course of study today with two more lesson plans for your archives.
Todays lessons concern two things which are generally known but the true facts aren’t readily available. Thanks to EUTU you are about to be made a little smarter than you were prior to this visit.
Lesson #3 – Why Do Men Have Nipples?
Once a human embryo has been conceived, no matter what its ultimate gender, it follows a female template, adopting all female characteristics, including nipples. After a number of weeks in this state, a certain gene in the mail embryo stimulates the production of the male hormone testosterone, which prompts the embryo to develop masculine qualities. While the nipples remain present they will not function the way that they would have had the embryo been supplied with female hormones.
Not only do male babies have nipples, but they also are born with breast tissue and milk ducts and glands. These are normally in operative, but, if men experience increased levels of the female hormone estrogen and a lack of testosterone, they can develop breasts like those of women and, in extreme cases, even perform lactation. Because men have breast tissue, they are at risk from breast cancer, albeit to a far lesser extent than women are.
It has been asked why evolution has not done away with these superfluous male nipples. The common response is that, because diseases affecting the nipples are rare in men, there is no genetic imperative to do away with the nipple and so they remain.
So watch out guys. Stay away from those scary female hormones. You’ve always known how crazy they make women and it’s probably even worse for us men. Not only can you grow boobs and lactate, you can also be stricken with breast cancer. Count your blessings and stay away from that estrogen.
Lesson #4 – What is the Purpose of Pubic Hair?
The purpose of pubic hair is something that has been argued about for years. Even today, scientists are still unsure of its function.
One view is that pubic hair protects against friction during sexual intercourse, and provides cushioning for the pelvis in that area. Another view is that it provided insulation or our ancestors, although this is not widely held because of the lack of significant hair over the rest of our bodies. However, there is some support for the idea that the hair helps to regulate body temperature in the genital area which is particularly important for the production of sperm in men.
Pubic hair is curly because for some reason our sex hormones turn the hair follicles in that area into an oval shape, which in turn makes the hair an oval shape, causing it to bend. Straight hair grows from round follicles and is less prone to curliness.
That concludes today’s lessons and I hope you’ve found out a few new facts that have eluded you until now. As before, break into study groups to further discuss and better understand the information you’ve been given. There will be tests in your future.
CLASS DISMISSED
everyuselessthing.com 