chicagoskydiver 0 #1 August 23, 2002 Interesting Facts The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstone. Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the US Treasury. Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better. Coca-Cola was originally green. It is impossible to lick your elbow. The state with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38% The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400 The average number of people airborne over the US any given hour: 61,000 Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair. The world's youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910. The youngest pope was 11 years old. The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer. Those San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history: Spades - King David Hearts - Charlemagne, Clubs - Alexander, the Great Diamonds - Julius Caesar 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321 If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes. "I am." is the shortest complete sentence in the English language. Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt. Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what? A. Their birthplace Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested? A. Obsession Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A"? A. One thousand Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common? A. All invented by women. Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil? A. Honey Q. There are more collect calls on this day than any other day of the year? A. Father's Day Q. What trivia fact about Mel Blanc (voice of Bugs Bunny) is the most ironic? A. He was allergic to carrots. Q. What is an activity performed by 40% of all people at a party? A. Snoop in your medicine cabinet. In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase "goodnight, sleep tight." It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month we know today as the honeymoon. In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them mind their own pints and quarts and settle down. It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's" Many years ago in England, pub frequenters had a whistle baked into the rim or handle of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. "Wet your whistle" is the phrase inspired by this practice. In Scotland, a new game was invented. It was entitled Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden.... and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language. ~~~~~~~~~~~AND FINALLY~~~~~~~~~~~~ At least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow.Hackey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hobbes4star 0 #2 August 23, 2002 i almost can lick my elbowif fun were easy it wouldn't be worth having, right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian84 0 #3 August 23, 2002 QuoteAt least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow. Its true....... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spy38W 0 #4 August 23, 2002 QuoteAt least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow. Ha ha... not this time. -- Hook high, flare on time Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #5 August 23, 2002 >If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes. This one is'nt quite true.. its more up to the designers choice then anything else. We have a statute in my home town of a horse with 2 legs up in the air ...and the person died of natural causes (Or at least we did till it was destroyed YEARS ago)Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #6 August 23, 2002 "The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstone. " I love the Stones. Fred, Wilma, Barney, Betty, Mick, Keith. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #7 August 23, 2002 QuoteThe first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were Fred and Wilma Flintstone I thought they had seperate beds? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,436 #8 August 23, 2002 >Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair. A reverse causality here. People who are well fed are generally the people in prosperous countries who can afford education; there are more minerals in the hair of well fed people. >If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in > the air . . . Urban legend. There are plenty of people who did not die in battle who have statues of them with their horse's legs in the air. >Mead is a honey beer . . . Mead isn't beer; if anything, it's honey wine. It was the first alcoholic beverage, mainly because it was so easy to make. You just put honey in a pot, sit it in a warm place, it "spoils" and becomes mildly alcoholic. Once you have a pot that produced good mead (and that takes a while) you hang on to it, because the yeast will hang out in the pot and "spoil" the next batch of honey the same way. Which, by the way, means that another one of those interesting facts is wrong: >Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil? >A. Honey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #9 August 23, 2002 Quote"I am." is the shortest complete sentence in the English language. Guess it depends on your definition of complete. I think you could make a pretty good case for "Go."quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seedy 0 #10 August 23, 2002 "I am." is the shortest complete sentence in the English language. "Oh." I intend to live forever -- so far, so good. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveMonkey 0 #11 August 23, 2002 QuoteIt is impossible to lick your elbow. Wrong. ____________________ Say no to subliminal messages Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #12 August 23, 2002 What a coincidence. Someone once asked me if "I am" was the shortest sentence in the English language. I said "No". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #13 August 23, 2002 Again, it depends on your definition of a "complete" sentance. Generally speaking, you at least need a verb. "Go" is a verb. "Oh" and No" are not. I'm going to assume their definition is a subject and a verb. In which case "I am" is probably a good choice. However, for a sentance to be "complete", in my mind anyway, it needs a subject, verb and object. "I am sexy." Which, understandably, some people might object to on several grounds. ;^)quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,436 #14 August 23, 2002 >I think you could make a pretty good case for "Go." Though you could make a better case for it in a language like French, where "Allez" is both the verb and implies the subject (you, unfamiliar.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SBS 0 #15 August 23, 2002 Though you could make a better case for it in a language like French, where "Allez" is both the verb and implies the subject (you, unfamiliar.) ------------------ The arguement still works in english, though...I can't think of the verb form, but it is basically a command, which implies a subject. That verb form exists in English as well as French and other languages. -S_____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #16 August 23, 2002 Quote"I am sexy." Which, understandably, some people might object to on several grounds. ;^) No argument here you...you...big hunk O' man..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goose491 0 #17 August 23, 2002 Quote >If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in > the air . . . Urban legend. There are plenty of people who did not die in battle who have statues of them with their horse's legs in the air. Truth. This IS the way the statues of war heroes were supposed to have been made.. However, if you're riding a horse, it looks cooler if the horse is rearing... this is why there are several statues of people who died of natural causes and the horse is rearing (Likely not horse riding soldiers by trade). If it's a war heroes monument, it'll probably be consistent. Quote Mead isn't beer; if anything, it's honey wine. It was the first alcoholic beverage, mainly because it was so easy to make. You just put honey in a pot, sit it in a warm place, it "spoils" and becomes mildly alcoholic. Mead is indeed closer to wine than beer however, it is not simply left in a warm place to "spoil"... it was encouraged to ferment just like both beer and wine.. Yeast is a bacterial organism which consumes complex suggars and creates alcohol and CO2 as byproducts of it's digestion of said suggar... the Yeast had to be added to the honey -and other spices for flavor to creat Mead. BTW wine was first Quote Once you have a pot that produced good mead (and that takes a while) you hang on to it, because the yeast will hang out in the pot and "spoil" the next batch of honey the same way. If there was yeast "left over" from a batch of Mead, then the Mead was not at it's highest possible alcohol content. Typically, the Northman would leave the pot of fermenting Honey and spices, shaking out the CO2 produced until there was no more noticable gas being produced. (At this point, the yeast has consumed all the suggar and is dead) Another batch would require the addition of more yeast. One would value and keep the pot it was made in for sentimental value if anything, the Northmen were boat people (Vikings) and took very good care of the little possessions they kept. QuoteWhich, by the way, means that another one of those interesting facts is wrong: >Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil? >A. Honey Left by itself, honey will not spoil or rott My Karma ran over my Dogma!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jfields 0 #18 August 23, 2002 I'll let Bill rebutt the rest of them. QuoteWhich, by the way, means that another one of those interesting facts is wrong: >Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil? >A. Honey -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Left by itself, honey will not spoil or rott It tends to crystalize. If it is mixed with other things, than it can ferment. But it isn't the only food that won't spoil or rot. maple syrup sugar Twinkies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #19 August 23, 2002 Since when are Twinkies a food? See THIS. And THIS. And THIS. This last one is pricless.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goose491 0 #20 August 23, 2002 Yeah, Aren't twinkies like 100% synthetic material? With absolutely no nutritional content? The'll never rot though My Karma ran over my Dogma!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jfields 0 #21 August 23, 2002 Yeah, I know all about Twinkies. But I'd have to say that in the loose definition of "food" would be anything that can provide calories or nutrients to humans. So even Twinkies qualify. The oldest Twinkie I have ever eaten was about 13 years old. It tasted pretty normal. That was during Basic Training. I'm not a big fan of eating them, but they are conceptually hilarious. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kennedy 0 #22 August 23, 2002 Quote>I think you could make a pretty good case for "Go." Though you could make a better case for it in a language like French, where "Allez" is both the verb and implies the subject (you, unfamiliar.) The command form of a verb is an the imperative. Go is, in fact, a complete sentence. Though I am in college, and I don't know shit, and freely acknowledge this fact, my significant other [who I am now in the process of turning into a jumper!] was an English major and has consulted whatever it is English majors cunsult. Goin the imperative, is both verb and the subject, and the understood direct object is the listener.witty subliminal message Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards. 1* Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jessica 0 #23 August 23, 2002 QuoteGoin the imperative, is both verb and the subject, and the understood direct object is the listener. Yeah. In English, only the second-person (you) form of imperatives can drop the pronoun. For the first-person plural, you need it. (As in "Let's go.") In French, you can always drop the pronoun. Allons (let's go), allez (y'all go, or you go), etc. God, I'm flashing back to elementary school grammar. Bottom line, any two-letter verb could be the shortest sentence in the English language.Skydiving is for cool people only Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SBS 0 #24 August 23, 2002 Yeah. In English, only the second-person (you) form of imperatives can drop the pronoun. For the first-person plural, you need it. (As in "Let's go.") In French, you can always drop the pronoun. Allons (let's go), allez (y'all go, or you go), etc. ------------------- I think you are confusing the indicative with the imperative. The imperative does not have a first person form, it is a command that says, "GO!" or "DRIVE!". The indicative is the form that can drop the pronoun, as you pointed out, in the case of "allons-z" (the verb still cannot stand alone, though). When it comes down to it in french, there are far fewer times that you can truly drop the pronoun...not nearly as much as you can in Spanish or Italian. Come to think of it, I can't really think of any verb where you completely drop the pronoun and it can stand by itsself except for in the imperative. I'm confusing myself. :) -S_____________ I'm not conceited...I'm just realistic about my awesomeness... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #25 August 23, 2002 Well....you can debate the shortest sentence but do you know what the longest sentence in the English language is? "I do." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
