Trivia

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Monday Night Football

On September 21, 1970, football fans were thrilled to tune into the first NFL “Monday Night Football," which debuted on ABC. Here's are 5 interesting things you didn't know about "Monday Night Football"...

The First Televised Game Featured the Browns and the Jets

The New York Jets, with their superstar quarterback Joe Namath, went head-to-head against the Cleveland Browns before television viewers and a live audience of about 80,000 cheering fans. The number of cameras normally used to cover a game was doubled, and sportscasters Howard Cosell, Don Meredith, and Keith Jackson were there to cover the plays. The Browns won the game 31 to 21, and “Monday Night Football” went on to become the longest running sports show in the history of television.

In 1999, Viewers Saw a Player Punt the Ball 83 Yards

Jaguars fans were yelling themselves hoarse during the October 11 game between Jacksonville and the NY Jets when Jaguar Bryan Barker punted the football an incredible 83 yards. The punt was made from his team’s 5-yard line all the way to the 12-yard line of the Jets. That record still holds as the longest punt ever made.

One Team Didn’t Make it Onto “Monday Night Football” for Nearly 15 Years

Because of injuries and changes in personnel, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had an embarrassing season in 1983 but played against the Green Bay Packers. The Packers won the game 12 to 9 in overtime, and the Buccaneers didn’t appear on “Monday Night Football” again until 1998. This was a game against the Detroit Lions, and the Buccs lost that one by a score of 27 to 6.

Two Football Records Were Telecast During One Game

On December 11, 1989, in a game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers, Joe Montana completed 30 out of 42 passes for a record 458 yards as well as three touchdowns. John Taylor, a wide receiver with the 49ers, broke a record with 11 catches that totaled 186 yards. A teammate of Taylor’s, Jerry Rice broke that record a few years later.

Only Two Quarterbacks Threw Passes for Five Touchdowns Live on “Monday Night Football”

Although they were different games, Dave Krieg, a quarterback with the Seattle Seahawks, threw five touchdown passes in a game against the Los Angeles Raiders in 1988. Jim Kelly, a quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, threw five touchdown passes in 1991 in a game with the Cincinnati Bengals. Both the Seahawks and Bills won those games.

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5 Facts About The Emancipation Proclamation_2

On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, which sets a date for the freedom of more than 3 million black slaves in the United States. Here are five things you didn't know about the Emancipation Proclamation...

Lincoln Delayed Anti-slavery Proclamations When the Civil War Started

At the start of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln wasn't sure that he had the public support for issuing a proclamation demanding freedom for the slaves. There was certainly a strong private push for it, with abolitionist groups and some political allies pressuring him to do it. However, Lincoln instead claimed the war was about preventing the Confederate states from seceding, and then he waited until more of the general public was amenable to ending slavery. That wasn't until July 1862, when Lincoln announced that he would issue a proclamation. He waited until September to do so because he had been advised to wait until the Union had a major victory in battle.

It Didn't Free All Slaves

In fact, it didn't free even a majority of slaves. The Proclamation is popularly seen now as this wide-ranging reform, but all it really did was say that the slaves in states that were still rebelling as of January 1, 1863, would be freed. Not the slaves in states that decided to stop rebelling, or slaves in states that had never rebelled, or in those in Union territory, but only those in about ten states that still had a chance to give up fighting. However, the Proclamation was a vital step toward expanding emancipation for all slaves.

Emancipation Originally Didn't Apply to the Union-Friendly Border States

The proclamation issued in September was not country-wide, nor was it the final Emancipation Proclamation of which most people think. Lincoln wanted to remain on good terms with Union-friendly border states that still allowed slavery and was willing to exempt them from the call to end slavery. When Lincoln did finally issue the proclamation, it called for slaves' freedom in areas that were still rebelling against the Union 100 days from the date of the proclamation. In other words, if states wanted to keep their slaves as slaves, they had to stop fighting against the Union before the end of 100 days. 

The final version of the proclamation was issued the next January 1, and it freed all slaves in rebelling states. Lincoln also called for African Americans to be allowed to form military units (that were pro-Union, of course) to help fight the war. African Americans had previously been in the Navy aboard ships, but now they were finally allowed to join the Army.

The Proclamation Wasn't Actually a Law

The Emancipation Proclamation was... a proclamation. It was an order but not a law, and technically it didn't end slavery. Union-friendly states still got to have slaves according to the terms of the proclamation (remember, it focused on rebelling states), so Lincoln pushed for the proclamation and the end of slavery to be made law. That led to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865, which ended slavery in every state.

Lincoln Was Interested in Moving Freed Slaves Abroad

Lincoln wanted to free slaves, but instead of focusing on the freed slaves making new lives in the United States, he was interested in having them resettle outside the country. It was commonly thought that Lincoln had given up on this idea at the start of the war, but it turns out that he was interested in having freed slaves move to Central and South America even after the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued. 

His model was the country of Liberia in Africa, which was settled by freed slaves. The idea wasn't popular among freed slaves, however, and the one attempt to resettle slaves to an island near Haiti in 1862 resulted in a smallpox outbreak among the freed slaves, a lack of medical supplies, outright robbery of the freed slaves by the owner of the island, failed crops, and an eventual rescue mission arranged by Lincoln himself. 

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 I  did  not  know  about  the  2 different quarterbacks that  each  threw  5 passes  during

a  Monday  Night  game===

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I did  not  know that LINCLON  was  considering the proclamation sooner  but  did  not until

the public was  more in favor of  it===

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Neptune

On September 23, 1846, German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle discovered the planet Neptune, the eighth planet in our solar system. To celebrate this landmark event in astronomical history, here are five things you probably didn't know about the planet Neptune...

Neptune's Presence Was Determined Before It Was Actually Spotted

Astronomers had known for years that Uranus displayed some odd behavior that couldn't be explained using then-current physics. The planet's orbit had noticeable irregularities that suggested there was another large body nearby. Two scientists, British mathematician John Couch Adams and French astronomer Urbain Le Verrier simultaneously (but separately) worked on mathematical predictions of where this large body would be. Adams kept his calculations among his colleagues, but Le Verrier made his calculations public, and German astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle used Le Verrier's calculations to spot the planet Neptune. Galle wasn't actually the first person to spot Neptune, but previous viewers didn't realize that they were looking at a giant planet that was affecting the orbit of another giant planet, so Galle got the credit for spotting Neptune first.

Neptune Almost Had a French Name

Galle found Neptune only one degree from where Le Verrier's calculations said it would be. As a result of the amazing mathematical prediction, the planet almost ended up with the name Le Verrier. Astronomers eventually chose Neptune, keeping the new planet's designation in the realm of Greek and Roman gods and goddesses.

Neptune Completed Its First Orbit Since Its Discovery -- in 2011

July 11, 2011, was a first birthday of sorts. Newspapers noted that it marked one year since the discovery of Neptune. Given that the planet was spotted in 1846, that may sound strange, but it's not when you realize that it refers to one Neptunian year. July 11, 2011, marked the completion of one full trip around the sun since the planet's discovery.

It's the Only Planet in the Solar System Whose Discovery Was Predicted Mathematically

So far, every other planet in the solar system has been spotted first and then become the subject of mathematical calculations about orbital position. Neptune was the reverse; first, the math said something should be in a particular spot, and then a human found the planet almost where it was predicted to be.

Only One Spacecraft Has Visited Neptune

Assuming that Earth is the only planet that's been sending craft around the solar system, then Neptune has received a visit from only one: Voyager 2 in 1989. Voyager 2 managed to pass by both Neptune and Triton, its largest moon, and it got pictures of both that showed fine details of rings and the spots that giant storms made on the planet's surface. Voyager 2 produced the classic image of Neptune that showed the Great Dark Spot in the planet's southern hemisphere. That spot actually disappeared by the time the Hubble Telescope got more pictures of the giant blue planet.

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I did  not  know  that NEPTUNE was  the  only planet that  was predicted   mathematically===

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The USS Enterprise

On September 24, 1960, the USS Enterprise, the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was launched at Newport News, Virginia. Here are 5 surprising facts about this amazing ship nicknamed the “Big E.”

The Ship Carried Eight Nuclear Reactors

The USS Enterprise had four propeller shafts, each powered by two nuclear reactors, which was a daring move because reactors had never been used in tandem before so engineers were uncertain whether it would work out. She measured 1,123 feet in length, which made her the U.S. Navy’s longest aircraft carrier. With a width of 252 feet, the flight deck covered an area equal to 4.47 acres.

She Was the Eighth Ship to Bear the Name Enterprise

The first ship named Enterprise was originally named George and was a British ship but was renamed when Col. Benedict Arnold captured her and refitted her to defend supply routes in America from attacks. The second was a schooner bought for the use of the Continental Navy, the third was a schooner used during the Barbary Wars, and the fourth was used to protect U.S. shipping. The fifth Enterprise was a sloop of war used around the world, the sixth ship was a motorboat that operated as a tugboat, and the seventh was a warship that became the most decorated in the history of the U.S. Navy.

The USS Enterprise Participated in a Number of Military Actions

The USS Enterprise was used during the blockade while the Cuban Missile Crisis was going on in October 1962. She also circumnavigated the world without refueling in 1964, along with the USS Bainbridge and USS Long Beach. After being redesignated, she was deployed toward the end of 1965 and served during the Vietnam War, where aircraft flown from her deck struck against the enemy Viet Cong.

A Starship Enterprise Crewmember Did Not Ground the Carrier

The Enterprise was accidentally grounded on April 28, 1983, and became stuck in the sand for around six hours because the ship channel had been miscalculated. About half a mile from its destination, 4,500 crewmen waited for hours, along with actor George Takai, who played Lt. Cmdr. Hikaru Sulu, the helmsman on the popular television show “Star Trek.” Takai, of course, was not piloting the aircraft carrier, and the ship floated off the sand when the tide rose.

The Ship Was Decommissioned in 2017

On February 3, 2017, the Enterprise was removed from the vessel register maintained by the Navy, which marked its long, illustrious career in service. It was the first time an aircraft carrier that was nuclear-powered was decommissioned. The Enterprise had traveled over 1 million nautical miles since it had first put to sea back in 1961.

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I  did  not  know  that there  have been 8 ships  named  the ENTERPRISE====

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Sandra Day O'Connor_2

On September 25, 1981, Sandra Day O'Connor was sworn in as the first female justice of the U.S. Supreme Court after being confirmed by a 99-0 vote in the U.S. Senate. Here are five facts you might not know about Sandra Day O’Connor’s life and career...

O’Connor Grew Up on a Ranch

O’Connor grew up on her grandfather’s big desert ranch that straddled the borders of Arizona and New Mexico in a house with only one bedroom and without running water. The family raised cattle and repaired wells for a living, and with the closest neighbor 25 miles distant, she grew up around cowboys. She was a typical country girl, riding horses, branding cattle, and shooting a rifle and even had a bobcat named Bob as a pet.

It Was Hard for Her to Find a Job After Graduation

In 1950, when O’Connor was 20, she entered law school at Stanford University, and there were only four women enrolled in the class. She was third in her class upon graduation, and while her male classmates had no problems finding jobs, she said she couldn’t even get anyone to speak to her. In a later interview, she said if she had realized how difficult it would be for a female lawyer to find a job, she would have considered taking another career path.

She Entered Politics in Arizona in 1969

O’Connor was in private practice in Arizona and served as assistant attorney general from 1965 to 1969. Afterward, she was a member of the Arizona State Senate from 1969 to 1974 and served as the majority leader. Following her election as a judge in the Superior Court of Maricopa County, Arizona, she worked in Phoenix as a judge with the Court of Appeals. In 1981, President Reagan offered her nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court to fill a vacancy left by retiring Justice Potter Stewart.

President Reagan Was Keeping a Promise When He Appointed Her

When Ronald Reagan was campaigning during the 1980 presidential election, he promised to nominate a female to the U.S. Supreme Court. This was a promise made in an effort to increase his support by female voters, and he kept his word in 1981 by appointing O’Connor. Following her swearing-in ceremony, O’Connor served in the Supreme Court 24 years.

O'Connor Played Basketball at the Supreme Court

O’Connor enjoyed opportunities to exercise and took over the basketball court in the Supreme Court building that was located over the courtroom. Some of the female secretaries and clerks wanted to exercise too, so O’Connor made a reservation at the gym and brought in an aerobics teacher from a nearby YWCA. Classes for the women were held daily and attendees were presented with custom made t-shirts saying “Women Work Out at the Supreme Court.”

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I did  not  know  that she  grew  up  on a  ranch and  was  the  typical  cow girl=====

I did  not  know  that  there  were only  4 women  in  her  Law  Class===

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Francis Drake

On September 26, 1580, English seaman Francis Drake completed his return voyage to Plymouth, England, becoming the first British navigator to sail around the earth. Here are 5 things you never knew about the adventurer and pirate who struck fear into the hearts of Spanish sailors...

Drake Started Out Transporting and Selling Slaves

During the 1560s, Drake sailed on early voyages for slave trading to West Africa with his cousin John Hawkins. They usually attacked native villages or slave ships operated by the Portuguese to capture natives, and then they would take them to be sold to plantations in the Spanish Caribbean, an illegal enterprise. Their ship was attacked by Spanish ships in 1568 at San Juan de Ulua. Four of the slave traders’ vessels were destroyed, and though Drake escaped, the loss left him with a bitter hatred for King Philip II and for Spain.

He Was a Hero to the British and a Scoundrel to the Spanish

Drake led raids repeatedly against Spanish colonies and treasure ships. An official commission to be a privateer was necessary to operate and Drake didn’t have one, so he was branded a pirate by the Spanish and given the nickname “The Dragon.” Eventually, the king of Spain offered 20,000 ducats as bounty for Drake’s capture dead or alive, which would have equaled millions of dollars in today’s currency.

Drake Placed a Claim for California in the Name of England

In search of Spanish treasure ships, Drake headed north in his ship Golden Hind looking for the fabled Northwest Passage. His ship ended up anchored off Northern California. He spent about a month there exploring and named the area “Nova Albion,” claiming it for England. Scholars have debated where Drake’s ship anchored, but it is believed that it was close to San Francisco.

Drake Circumnavigated the Globe Committing Piracy

Drake received a knighthood in honor of his circumnavigation around the world, but his real aim was to seek and plunder treasure ships under a secret agreement with the queen of England. He was successful in seizing ships and robbing ports along the coast of Peru and Chile but won a big prize in 1579 by seizing the Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion, a Spanish ship that was carrying huge amounts of gold and silver as well as 12 chests filled with coins. Drake was truly successful as a pirate, and legend says those who financed his operations received 47 pounds sterling for each investment of one pound.

His Enemies Thought He Practiced Witchcraft

Enemies who resented the navigational skills Drake possessed convinced many Spaniards that he practiced witchcraft. He was reported to have a magic mirror that helped him find ships to attack, with one rumor even saying he was allied with Satan. Following the defeat of the Spanish Armada, sailors returning home said Drake wasn’t a man at all but was a devil. Drake didn’t die at sea in battle or while plundering a treasure ship; he passed away from dysentery near Portobello on January 28, 1596, and was buried at sea in a lead coffin, which has never been found.

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I did  not  know  that  he  was  buried at sea  in a  lead coffin===

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5 Things We Learned From The Warren Commission

On September 27, 1964, the Warren Commission issued the final controversial report from its investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Here are 5 things reported by the commission regarding the president’s assassination on that fateful day in Dallas...

The Commission Concluded that More Than One Shot Was Fired

It was agreed that three shots were aimed at the presidential motorcade, but the commission reached no conclusion on which ones struck the president. Governor Connally, who was struck by one of the bullets, believed that the first shot hit the president in the neck and the third shot caused the president’s head wound. Connally believed he himself had been struck by the second bullet.

Lee Harvey Oswald, the Assassin, Acted Alone

It was reported by the Commission that no evidence was found of anyone assisting Lee Harvey Oswald in the plot to kill the president. The report indicated that no evidence existed that Oswald was a foreign agent, and he had not been encouraged or persuaded by a foreign government. However, several government agencies kept files on Oswald that carried questionable activities committed by him, including correspondence with Russia and some of his domestic activities, but this information was downplayed to the members of the Warren Commission.

Neither Oswald nor Ruby Was Involved in a Conspiracy

The commission reported that it had discovered no evidence implicating either Oswald or nightclub owner Jack Ruby in any type of conspiracy to kill the president. The report stated that if such evidence existed, it had not been brought to the attention of the Commission. However, information related to Oswald’s trip to Cuba had been blocked by Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Earl Warren, and evidence by the FBI and CIA was downplayed and not given to the Commission.

There Was no Relationship Between Oswald and Ruby

No relationship, either indirect or direct, was found by the Commission with regard to Oswald and Ruby. The Commission concluded that there was no evidence that Ruby had an accomplice in killing Oswald in the basement of the Dallas police headquarters. However, records released by the FBI state that an informant on the day of the assassination said that Ruby called him, asking him if he wanted to “see the fireworks” and that both of them were at the corner across from the book depository when the assassination occurred.

Group Involvement With the Assassination Dismissed

A number of conspiracy theories arose that might have been connected with the assassination, including different governments, mobsters, and right-wing supporters. These theories were dismissed by the Commission. In a 1979 report issued by the House Select Committee on Assassinations, the investigation concluded that it was probably a conspiracy that led to the president’s death. However, after ruling out the Mob, Soviet and Cuban governments and others, it did not rule out that individuals within groups might have been involved.

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I did  not  know  that  both  RUBY AND  OSWALD meeting before the  shooting for a  fireworks display

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5 Things You Didn't Know About the Battle of Yorktown_3

On September 28, 1781, the Battle of Yorktown began, which was the last major battle for American independence. Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about the Battle of Yorktown which effectively brought an end to the American Revolution....

Bread Ovens in New Jersey Helped to Fool the British

Having taken over from General Howe, General Sir Henry Clinton controlled British forces and awaited an American attack on New York City during the summer. The attack never came. The allies were attacking British troops in Yorktown, Virginia, but needed to keep Cornwallis from sending reinforcements. So, they built bread ovens out of brick in the northern part of New Jersey, which made British spies think that American and French troops were going to place a large army there and attack New York. Clinton and his British forces did not discover the ruse until it was too late, and they did not arrive to reinforce Cornwallis’s troops at Yorktown until the day of the surrender.

The British Held Out a Long Time Despite Being Outnumbered

Yorktown was entirely circled by an army of French and American troops on September 28. The allied troops numbered more than 17,000 against 9,000 British led by Lord Cornwallis. Despite the overwhelming odds, the battle continued for 20 days, with the British troops being under constant bombardment by American and French forces. The British forces surrendered when they realized reinforcements were not coming and they began running out of food and ammunition.

Many British Troops Could Not Fight at Yorktown

Malaria was common in Virginia up until it was eradicated in the early 1950s, but Virginians had developed some resistance to it. The British had not. Cornwallis reported that half his army suffered from malaria and could not fight. The Frenchmen who participated in the battle were exposed to malaria as well, but since malaria has a long incubation period, they did not exhibit symptoms of the malady until the battle was over.

The Battle of Yorktown Decided the Fate of the Revolutionary War

The defeat of the British by allied forces at the Battle of Yorktown was the final major battle of the Revolutionary War conducted on land. Following the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781, peace negotiations started the following year, ultimately leading to the 1783 Treaty of Paris. The treaty officially ended the American Revolutionary War with Britain’s recognition of the United States as an independent and free nation.

Cornwallis Refused to Attend the Ceremony of Surrender

At the surrender ceremony following the Battle of Yorktown, Lord Cornwallis claimed illness and refused to attend. Instead, Brigadier General Charles O’Hara was present to offer the sword of surrender to the Count of Rochambeau, who instead gestured that he should hand it to General George Washington. Washington himself refused and ordered Benjamin Lincoln, his second-in-command, to take the sword.

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I did  not  know  that that  about  half of  CORNWALLIS troops  had malaria  and could  not  fight====

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5 Unique Facts About the U.S. Armed Forces

On September 29, 1789, the first regular army in the United States was established through the U.S. War Department. Here are five unique facts you didn't know about the U.S. Armed Forces...

There Are Very Few Honorary Marines. Bugs Bunny Is One of Them.

An honorary Marine is, as it sounds, an honorary title that is bestowed in special circumstances. The Marine version is a rare honor, and while some of its recipients automatically seem to make sense (Bob Hope, for example, had the title, and it makes sense because of his tireless work in entertaining U.S. military service people), others evoke a double-take. After all, you don't expect a cartoon character to get one of the rarest military honors that can be given to civilians. However, that's just what happened with Bugs Bunny, who wore a Marine outfit in the cartoon Super-Rabbit. This was in 1943, and the Marine Corps decided to make Bugs an honorary private. He got promoted repeatedly until he reached the rank of Master Sergeant.

Women Couldn't Officially Serve in the Military Until the 20th Century.

While you hear about the occasional woman dressing up as a man or taking a male relative's place in battle, women were not allowed to serve in official capacities in the U.S. military until 1901, except in basically non-military roles such as cooks and seamstresses. The Army and Navy Nurse Corps were created in 1901 and 1908, allowing women to become a key part of the military's support structure. During World War I, women were allowed to sign up in non-nurse roles such as the Signal Corps because the men in the Corps had gone off to fight. Women's roles in the military only expanded from there.

The United States Military Is, Collectively, the Largest Employer in the World.

The Department of Defense, which contains all the Armed Forces of the United States put together (the Coast Guard is actually under the control of the Secretary of Defense), is the largest employer in the world. Its employees, including both enlisted and civilian employees in the military, top nearly 3.2 million people. This huge force has been sent all over the world, both for training and to carry out orders to intervene in overseas conflicts.

The Marine Corps Was Actually Disbanded at One Point but Revived to Fight Pirates.

The Marine Corps started in 1775 (reportedly in a tavern) and served on Navy ships during the American Revolution. After the Revolution, however, the service was disbanded, but it was brought back in 1798 in an effort to fight pirates off the northern coast of Africa. The Marines landed in Egypt and marched to what is now Libya, conducting a successful assault on the pirates' stronghold. It was this battle that contributed the line "to the shores of Tripoli" in the Marines' Hymn, as well as giving the Marines excellent publicity (or what counted as publicity in the late 1700s).

The Coast Guard Started as a Maritime Revenue Service.

Alexander Hamilton was key in starting the First Bank of the United States and setting up fiscal policies that helped shore up the fledgling United States, but he was also responsible for creating a maritime revenue service that enforced laws and tariff requirements on ships entering ports. That service, called the Revenue-Marine, later merged with a separate marine service that saved shipwrecked sailors to form the Coast Guard as we know it today.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About James Dean

On September 30, 1955, 24-year-old actor James Dean, died when the Porsche Spyder convertible he was driving struck another vehicle. Here are five things you probably didn't know about James Dean...

He Was Ticketed For Speeding Two Hours Before His Death.

On the afternoon of September 30, 1955, as Dean drove his brand-new Porsche Spyder to a road race in Salinas, California, a police officer ticketed him for going 65 mph in a 55-mph zone. Just over two hours later, a Ford Tudor sedan collided with Dean at the junction of present-day Highway 46 and Highway 41, about 80 miles from Bakersfield. Dean, who broke his neck and suffered severe internal injuries, was pronounced dead on arrival at a nearby hospital. To this day, it’s unclear whether he was speeding at the time.

James Dean Starred in Only Three Movies.

Dean died after completing three major films, but two of them were released after his death; Rebel Without a Cause was released in October 1955, and Giant was released in November 1956. Dean was the first male actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for East of Eden in 1956 (he lost to Ernest Borgnine) and again in 1957 for Giant (he lost to Yul Brynner). He also holds the record for most posthumous nominations for a male actor as no one else has received more than one.

He Dated A "Seinfeld" Actress.

In the years since his death, many women have professed to being in romantic relationships with James Dean. One such claim came courtesy of Liz Sheridan, best known for playing Jerry Seinfeld’s mother on the TV show “Seinfeld,” who wrote a 2000 memoir entitled, “Dizzy & Jimmy: My Life with James Dean: A Love Story.” According to the book, Sheridan and Dean met in New York in 1951, soon moved in together and were at one point engaged to be married.

His Front Teeth Were Fake.

James Dean had his two front teeth knocked out while swinging on a trapeze in his aunt and uncle’s barn. (Dean later embellished the story, saying he lost them in a motorcycle accident.) As an adult, he purportedly enjoyed surprising acquaintances by casually removing his false teeth mid-conversation.

Some Say His Porsche Is Cursed.

While the Porsche he was in during the accident was in bad shape after the crash, it was bought by the customizer who worked on it. (The car's mechanic was a passenger during the crash; he survived.) The customizer, George Barris, claimed over the years that the car was responsible for hurting employees and generally causing bizarre accidents to other people, even though the car remained immobile. The mechanic, meanwhile, attempted suicide several times and died in another crash in the 1980s. No one has actually been able to verify that the car was responsible for all of these problems, but the legend persists to this day.

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I did  not  know  that  the  cartoon character  BUGS BUNNY is  an  honorary Marine===

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I did  not  know  that JIMMY  DEAN  and LIZ SHERIDEN were  dating  and  she  wrote  a  book 

about their  relationship====

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Disney World

On this day in 1971, about 10,000 visitors converged near Orlando, Florida, to witness the grand opening of Walt Disney World. Here are five interesting tidbits you probably didn't know about Disney World...

The American Flags Flown at Walt Disney World Aren’t Official

If visitors to Disney World look closely, they will discover that the American flags flying there have a different number of stripes or stars. The U.S. Flag Code states that flags flown after dark have to be illuminated, and this is how Disney avoids this requirement. However, the one flag located in Town Square is official and lowered every evening in accordance with protocol.

The Boardwalk Inn Resort Chairs Have Both a Purpose and Names

When visitors enter the lobby at the Boardwalk Inn Resort, they may notice two chairs near the fireplace that can give them the creeps. They are Nanny Chairs, which are copies of boardwalk carousel chairs meant for nannies or parents to sit on as their kids ride on the carousel; both chairs have names placed on the back. Near the gym along the boardwalk, there are other chairs that are named Alix, Todd, Paul, and Carrie.

There Are Vast Tunnels Underneath Disney World

A warren of underground tunnels lies underneath Disney World. These tunnels help employees get around the park more easily. The company color-codes the walls in the tunnels to make it easier for employees to find their way, and they have the fun of zipping around on battery-operated vehicles that are similar to a golf cart. Guests who are lucky enough to take the Keys to the Kingdom tour are allowed in the tunnels, but they are the only ones that can do so.

There’s a Reason You Smell Popcorn on Main Street

Disney likes to have a little fun and pumps scents into the queues and rides as well as along Main Street at the Magic Kingdom. Sometimes Main Street smells like baking cookies, and other times, it smells like popcorn. However, if visitors pass by the ice cream parlor on the plaza, the waffle cone smell is the real thing.

Families May Decorate a Christmas Tree Any Day of the Year

For families who are really into the holidays, the Christmas Store offers an opportunity to decorate a Christmas tree every day. All they have to do is head to the store early; each day, a family is chosen to decorate the tree that will be displayed that day. In addition to placing the decorations, the honor includes having your family’s name posted as the decorators for that day.

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PHKRAUSE

I did  not  know  that  all the  American Flags  are  not  real  Flags

except  for  one in Town  Square====

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Peanuts_2

On October 2, 1950, the comic strip "Peanuts" by Charles M. Schulz premiered in 9 newspapers. Here are five things you didn't know about one of the most popular and influential comic strips of all time... 

Schulz Didn’t Choose the Comic Strip’s Name

Schulz had originally named his comic strip starring Charlie Brown as “Li’l Folks,” but when he checked into having it syndicated in 1950, the people who ran it didn’t like that name because there were several others that were similar.  So, they changed the name to “Peanuts.” Schulz never approved of the name because he thought it sounded insignificant. Even after the comic strip became a huge success, Schulz said he wanted the cartoon to be called “Good Old Charlie Brown.”

Schulz’s High School Yearbook Committee Rejected His Artwork

Schulz wasn’t a particularly good student when he attended high school at St. Paul, Minnesota, failing in his English, Latin, physics and algebra classes. However, a drawing he made at age 15 of a dog was accepted by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and was published in its newspaper. While in high school in St. Paul, Minnesota, he submitted a drawing to the yearbook committee, but apparently, committee members didn’t consider it appropriate to publish. Now, that same high school in St. Paul has a 5-foot tall statue placed in the main office at the school entitled “Scholar Snoopy.”

Characters in the Comic Strip Were Named for Real People

The character of Charlie Brown was based on Schulz himself, while Snoopy was based on Spike, a dog he had when he was a teenager. The little red-headed girl was named after a woman Schulz worked with, even though she became involved with another man and broke the cartoonist’s heart. Woodstock, the little yellow bird, was named for the famous music festival, and Patty was modeled after a cousin of Schulz.

The “Peanuts” Gang Has Grown Over the Years

The original characters in the syndicated strip “Peanuts” included only Charlie Brown, Patty (not the same one as Peppermint Patty) and Shermy, with Snoopy the beagle added two days later. Violet and Schroeder were added in 1951, followed by security-blanket-toting Linus and his sister Lucy in 1952. Pig Pen joined the gang in 1954, Sally in 1959, Peppermint Patty in 1966 and Franklin in 1968.

Executives at CBS Really Hated the Charlie Brown Christmas Special

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” was shown on December 9, 1965, and has since become a happy holiday tradition for multiple generations. Executives at CBS didn’t like much of anything about the program, from using children’s voices to the fact that it involved religion. They even considered not airing it at all. The cartoon ended up winning a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Programming and a Peabody Award, along with other nominations.

[dgrimm60]

PHKRAUSE

I did  not  know  that  the original name of the  comic strip  was  not PEANUTS

dgrimm60

[phkrause]

5 Things You Didn't Know About The Obamas

On October 3, 1992, Barack Obama married Michelle Robinson at the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Here are 5 things you probably never knew about the Obamas....

He Was Rejected as a Male Model

Barack Obama applied as a model for a calendar at Harvard that a classmate was making that featured male African-American law students. There were around 90 African-American students enrolled as law students that year, so the competition was fierce. Nevertheless, the judging committee was quick to reject Obama as one of the models.

Both Attended Harvard Law School

Michelle Robinson attended Princeton, graduating in 1985 with a BA in sociology and went on to Harvard Law School, where she graduated in 1988. Barack Obama attended Occidental College in Los Angeles for two years and transferred to Columbia University in New York, where he majored in political science and English literature. He arrived at Harvard to attend law school in the fall of 1988. He apparently just missed meeting his future wife at Harvard but made up for it when he was a summer intern at the law firm where she was working in Chicago.

Michelle Was Reluctant to Date Barack

Michelle was working on her first year with the law firm of Sidley Austin in Chicago when she met Barack Obama. She was his mentor during that summer in 1989 but declined his initial requests to go out on a date because she thought it would be inappropriate. Apparently, Obama asked her to go out numerous times, but she didn’t say yes until he said he would leave his job in order to date her.

He Wasn’t Exactly Wild About the Idea of Marriage

Although the Obamas’ marriage seems to others like something out of a perfect fairy tale, Michelle had to push Barack somewhat toward the idea of marriage. She said he thought it was a “meaningless institution,” but Michelle’s parents had been together for 30 years. Finally, when she brought up the subject, he presented her with a ring, and they married the next year.

Michelle Didn’t Believe He Would Win the Presidential Election

Michelle was supportive of her husband’s run for the presidency; however, she didn’t want to serve as the first lady and didn’t think he stood much chance at winning. She simply thought America would not elect an African-American president, especially one with a name such as Barack Hussein Obama. Despite these thoughts, she actively campaigned for her husband, and their close-knit, romantic marriage was seen as a factor in his winning the election in 2008.