Category: Commentary

50 Years ago, on…

October 1, 1975

Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in the ” Thrilla in Manila” boxing match in the Philippines.

New Zealand has more sheep than people

Sheep rule the roost in New Zealand. With a sheep population of 23.3 million compared to 5.2 million people, that means there are 4.4 sheep for every New Zealander. – 50 Weird Facts That Most People Don’t Know

Nomophobia is the fear of being without your smartphone

For many people, the anxiety of being detached from your phone or not having cell service is real. The condition, Nomophobia, stands for No Mobile Phone Phobia and can cause such symptoms as sweating, shaking, agitation and even breathing difficulties. Research has shown Nomophobia can affect up to 73% of people, according to Forbes.

Cranberries can bounce

The small round fruit contains four air pockets, allowing them to not only float in water, but bounce when dropped on a hard surface. Try it and see!

A 16th-century “dance plague” caused people to drop like flies

In the summer of 1518, hundreds of citizens in the French city of Strasbourg danced uncontrollably for days and weeks on end, with some dying from the overexertion. According to the History Channel, scientists and historians aren’t quite sure what was behind the deadly dance-a-thon, but some choice theories include the participants being part of a religious cult or having ingested a toxic mold on bread that produced spasms and hallucinations.- 50 Weird Facts That Most People Don’t Know

Groaners: World’s Best of Bad Jokes and Puns

Q: Why does the weightlifter teach social studies?

A: He’s a history buff

A barber in India cuts hair with fire

Nazim Ali, a haircutter in New Delhi, has been using flammable chemicals he ignites in order to ‘cut’ and style hair, according to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Ali’s been using his technique for 30 years, and is especially popular with the Dehli youth.

Mindful Moment

Folding laundry provides an opportunity to practice mindfulness. Notice the textures of the fabric, as well as the patterns and colors of the clothing. As you take towels out of the dryer, pay attention to the heat and the fresh smell. Take a cleansing breath after finishing each article of laundry and offer gratitude for everyday things often taken for granted.

In Delaware, you can get your marriage annulled if it was a joke

If either or both spouses tied the knot in jest or as part of a dare in Delaware, the marriage can be annulled. You just need to file within 90 days of learning the nuptials weren’t on the up and up. This isn’t the only surprising marriage law in the U.S.- 50 Weird Facts That Most People Don’t Know

Mood lighting in Japan’s train stations help curb suicides

Blue lights on train platforms in Japan have been shown to reduce the chance someone will jump in front of a speeding train. In fact, one study in the Journal of Affective Disorders found blue lighting reduced suicide attempts by 84%. It’s believed blue registers as a calming color, associated with the sky and sea, which may be soothing to people in distress, according to Psychology Today.

McDonald’s once sold a Hawaiian ‘burger’

The Hula Burger, which came on the scene in the early 1960s, consisted of a slice of grilled pineapple and cheese on a bun. Created by McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc, it was offered as alternative for Catholics who didn’t eat meat on Fridays. The Hula burger never caught on, nor could it compete with the other meatless option, Filet-O-Fish, and was quickly discontinued. 50 Weird Facts That Most People Don’t Know

You can make a diamond out of peanut butter

Diamonds and peanut butter both contain carbon, so scientist Dan Frost at the Bayerisches Geoinstitut in Germany decided to see if he could convert the carbon from peanut butter into a diamond. After Frost exposed peanut butter to the same intense heat and pressure a diamond undergoes in the earth, he was able to produce a crystallized diamond. But it’s not as easy as it sounds, in order to make a peanut butter diamond, you’d need to heat it to at least 2,000 Fahrenheit. Frost’s discovery is what you can file under weird science facts.- 50 Weird Facts That Most People Don’t Know

Fiat once sold a car with an espresso machine

The Italian automaker Fiat installed a Lavazza built-in espresso maker in its 2012 500L model. The car was only available in Europe, and you could only brew coffee when the car was parked. It was a short-lived idea that never really took off, and Fiat reportedly ceased production a year later.

By the Number

50 million

Estimated worldwide sales of Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon in various formats since it was first published in 1947.