Trivia Du Jour IV

It’s a myth that midgets and dwarfs necessarily have offspring that are "vertically challenged." Actually, midgets and dwarfs almost always have normal-sized children, even if both parents are midgets or dwarfs.

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Not all animals can vomit. Rats don’t have that ability.



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During his midnight ride on April 18, 1775, Paul Revere did not shout "The British are coming." Instead, his call was "The regulars are coming." The regulars were the British Troops.

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Double Bubble gum wasn’t always called that—it used to be called "Blibber Blubber."

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Most people believe tigers have striped fur. That’s only partly true — they also have striped skin.

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Antarctica is actually a desert.

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Unlike the myth perpetuated in Hollywood movies, Romans didn’t give the or sign as an indication of whether they wanted a gladiator to live or die. If they wanted someone killed, they’d extend their thumb with fist clenched. If they wanted to spare someone, the clenched their thumbs in their fists, not showing them at all.


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There’s no proof the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in 1620 as the story goes. That story wasn’t told until 1741, told by a Pilgrim descendent born 26 years after the supposed event.

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Most people think that when you snap your fingers, it’s the thumb and finger separating that makes the noise. Actually, it’s the finger hitting against the heel of the thumb.

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It may come as a surprise, but despite the widespread belief otherwise, more people attend professional opera performances than attend pro football games. Truth is, ticket buyers spend about twice as much on the arts than on sports.

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Many believe the chopstick is a more primitive way of eating than the practice of using silverware. Actually, the Chinese once used metal utensils, specifically the knife, but felt using chopsticks "elevated man to a more civilized plane."

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There is no evidence that Lady Godiva ever rode through the Coventry naked. Accounts of the alleged event date from decades after the purported incident.

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There is no evidence that Lady Godiva ever rode through the Coventry naked. Accounts of the alleged event date from decades after the purported incident.

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Contrary to what you may have heard, whole milk is not good for an ulcer. The fat content can irritate it. Skim milk is ok, however.

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There is no mention in the Bible’s story of the Nativity that there were three wise men. Also, the wise men—however many there may have been—mentioned in the story didn’t find Jesus in a manger. Matthew clearly states "they were come unto the house [inn]." It was the shepherds who are said to have found Jesus in a manger.

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In the film industry, a flipper is a set of cosmetic false teeth for children, used for perfecting those pesky gaps created when baby teeth fall out.

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In Irish pubs, inexperienced travelers who want to order a small beer should know to ask for "a glass." If they request "a beer, please" in Ireland, they'll get a full pint.

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Yes, bullfighting is legal in the US. But unlike in other countries, US matadors are not permitted to hurt or kill the bull.

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Bulls do NOT charge because a Matador's cape is red. They charge because of the movement of the cape. In Spain, a Matador will don his "Montera" (small black hat), bow to the Presidents Box, and then dedicate the bull to a spectator in the stands. The Matador will start the fight with a series of passes, first from side to side to bring the bull close to his body, then high with the cape traveling directly over the bull's horns. After the bull is trained to charge the cape and it has reduced its area of protection to just a few feet, a Matador will show you his individual personality by the combination and variations on these passes. Some of the better Matadors in Spain will fight the bull from their knees or even kneel with their backs exposed to the bull.

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Bearkat77's Beatlemaniac Page
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Is there any way to fend off a shark without a weapon? Have no pity for the poor fishy, but never mind what you've heard about punching the shark in the nose. A sock in the snoot may give the shark a bloody nose, but it could be your blood. This nautical nightmare is most vulnerable around the eyes and gills. The advice they give to boxers holds here: jab, jab, jab -- short, hard punches. Sharks are bullies, and fighting back puts a damper on their aggressiveness.

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Bearkat77's Beatlemaniac Page
Bearkat77's Tribute to John Lennon
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