Trivia

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Ray Charles

On February 13, 2005, Ray Charles won eight posthumous Grammy awards including Album of the Year for his final album, "Genius Loves Company." Here are five things you didn't know about Ray Charles.

"Charles" Is His Middle Name

"Ray Charles" is not the artist's full name. His full name is actually Ray Charles Robinson, but he when he entered show business, he decided to drop his last name to avoid confusion with the famous boxer, Sugar Ray Robinson.

The Blues Brothers Renewed His Popularity

The disco age in the 1970s overshadowed Ray's music genre, and as a result, his career started to fizzle. He also went through a number of personal difficulties and challenges, including a divorce and his own recovery from drug addiction. Luckily, in 1980, a film came into the picture that helped to renew Ray's career. That film was The Blues Brothers, which starred Saturday Night Live alum John Belushi and Dan Akroyd, featured Ray Charles as a music shop owner. In the film, Charles performed alongside other greats including Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Cab Calloway. Not only was the movie a hit in the box office, and sparked a revival of Ray's music career.

"Georgia on My Mind" Is The Official Song Of Georgia

Charles released one of his most popular songs, "Georgia on My Mind," in 1960. It soared on the Billboard charts and reached number one. In 1979, it became the official state song of Georgia, where Ray was born. Interestingly, the song was not an original by Ray Charles. It was actually composed in 1930 by songwriter Hoagland "Hoagy” Carmichael. It has been asserted that Carmichael wrote the song about his sister, Georgia rather than the Peach State.

Ray's Wearing Of Sunglasses Has an Interesting Origin

Aside from his singing and songwriting ability, Ray Charles is well known for his donning of dark sunglasses. But it seems the idea to wear them when he performed wasn't his. When he was 18 years old, he was part of a band called the McSon Trio with guitarist Gossie McKee and bassist Milton S. Garret. Evidently, it was McKee who had an artist touch up their publicity photos and add sunglasses over Ray's sightless eyes. From that point on Charles began to wear sunglasses while performing, and began the trend for blind musicians to do the same.  

Ray's Blindness Didn't Stop Him from Learning New Skills

Ray lost his sight at the age of seven from glaucoma. But despite his lack of vision, he still managed to learn how to play the classic piano, trumpet, clarinet, organ, and alto sax in school. He could read and write music in Braille, and was an avid chess player. He even had his own chessboards made, one of which is now in the American History Museum. The musician’s board features squares of alternating height; the black squares are raised while the white squares are lowered. To help him identify the pieces by touch, the black pieces have sharper tops, while the white ones have round ones.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Valentine's Day

It's February 14th, and that means it's Valentine's Day. Lovers from around the world will exchange chocolates, flowers and gifts today to celebrate the most romantic day of the year.  Whether you're spending today with your sweetheart or you're using it as an excuse to eat tons of chocolates, here are five interesting facts about Valentine's Day. 

St. Valentine Wasn't Just One Person

It's well-known that Valentine's Day is named after the patron saint, St. Valentine — but there's actually some confusion surrounding which St. Valentine the holiday technically honors. History.com suggests that there may be two men named "Valentine" who are the inspiration for the holiday. One Valentine was third-century priest in Rome who went against Emperor Claudius II's marriage ban by marrying couples illegally. As a result of his defying of the emperor, this Valentine was put to death. But other legends claim that Valentine was martyred for helping Christians flee prison in Rome, and that he sent the first "valentine" message while in jail, signing the letter, "From your Valentine."

Valentine's Day Became an Official Holiday in the 1300s

February 14 was officially declared "St. Valentine's Day" by Roman Pope Gelasius at the end of the 5th century. But it wasn't until the 1300s that the holiday became known as the day of love and romance. This was based on the notion that February 14 marked the beginning of the mating season for birds. However,  wasn't until the 15th century that the first valentine was officially sent. According to History.com, the oldest recorded valentine sent was in 1415 by a French medieval duke who sent his wife a romantic poem that he wrote while imprisoned in the Tower of London.

Cupid Has Its Roots in Greek And Roman Mythology

Several tokens and figures symbolize Valentine's Day, including the adorable cherub with his bow and arrow that adorns Valentine's Day cards. But where exactly did the idea of the love matchmaker come from and why was it linked to this holiday? According to Time, the idea dates back to 700 BC and is depicted in Eros, the handsome, young, Greek god of love who had the power to make people fall in love. The Romans eventually made Eros into the image of a chreub, who they had named "Cupid" by the 4th century BC, depicting him as a cute boy with a bow and arrow. By the turn of the 19th century, Cupid had become linked to Valentine's Day due to his love-matching powers.

Americans Send 145 Million Valentine's Day Cards Each Year

According to Hallmark, a whopping 145 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged every February 14 This makes Valentine's Day the second biggest holiday for exchanging greeting cards, after Christmas. Teachers receive the most Valentine's Day cards annually, followed by children, mothers and wives. Needless to say, we've come a long way from 1913, which was when Hallmark Cards produced their first Valentine's card.

Nearly 6 Million Couples Get Engaged On Valentine's Day

What better day is there for a marriage proposal than a day literally dedicated to love and romance? Valentine's Day is one of the popular days to pop the question, with as many as 6 million couples getting engaged on February 14.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Galileo Galilei

On February 15, 1564, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa. By the time he died, he was as famous as any person in Europe. Here are five things you didn’t know about this Italian astronomer whose discoveries laid the foundation for modern physics and astronomy.

He Didn’t Invent The Telescope

Hans Lippershey, a Dutchman who made eyeglasses, invented the telescope, but Galileo first used it to look at the heavens. He later developed his own telescope with improvements and used it to discover the moon’s craters and the four moons that orbited Jupiter, among other discoveries. His observations led him to conclude that the Earth and planets revolved around the sun in support of Nicolaus Copernicus's theory, the astronomer and mathematician.

The Roman Inquisition Sentenced Him To Prison

After Galileo built his telescope in 1609, he began mounting a body of evidence and openly supporting the Copernican theory that the earth and planets revolve around the sun. The Copernican theory, however, went against Catholic Church doctrine. Galileo received permission by the Church to investigate the ideas of Copernicus as long as he didn’t hold or defend them. He did just that in 1632 when he published his book “Dialogue of the Two Principal Systems of the World” which compared the Copernican system with the traditional Ptolemaic system. Galileo was brought to trial before the Inquisition, and sentenced to spend the rest of his life under house arrest, as well as repent in public.

An Italian Museum Displays His Finger

Galileo was buried in Florence, Italy, at a small chapel at the Basilica of Santa Croce. They moved his remains to the basilica itself in 1737, minus a tooth, vertebra, and three fingers, most of which were kept by an admirer and passed down through the family. Galileo’s middle finger has passed to various museums, and the University of Padua, where the great astronomer was a teacher, has the vertebra on display.

A Spacecraft Was Named for Him by NASA

Galileo was a space probe launched in 1989 by NASA and a German team, which arrived in 1995 at Jupiter and studied the planet for nearly eight years. The space probe discovered evidence that saltwater existed below three moons circling Jupiter and found evidence of volcanic activity on another of its moons. NASA crashed the space probe into Jupiter in 2003 when the mission ended.

Hundreds of Years Passed Before the Church Apologized for Galileo's Incarceration

Pope Paul II initiated an investigation into Galileo’s condemnation in 1979. The investigation took 13 years, which was 359 years after Galileo’s trial by the Inquisition. The pope then issued an apology and closed the case, citing mistakes made during the trial.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The 911 Emergency System

On February 16, 1968, the first official "911" call placed in the United States. It would years before the emergency number was widespread and decades before it was uniform. To mark the anniversary of the birth of the 911 number , here are 5 things you didn't know about this vital emergency system.

The Emergency System Before 911 Was Iffy at Best

Not that long ago, if you had an emergency, you had to know the number for the nearest police and/or fire department. And the emergency number was often the same as the non-emergency number, meaning a busy signal was always a strong possibility. Needless to say, this made both reporting an emergency and responding to an emergency complicated.

The First 911 Call Was Made in Haleyville, Alabama

On February 16, 1968, the first 911 call was made in Alabama. But it wasn’t for an emergency. The Alabama speaker of the House placed the call to the city's police station and gave the Alabama Telephone Company bragging rights as the first telephone service provider to implement the new system. The phone used to answer that call is in a museum in Haleyville, Alabama. 

911 Was Developed by AT&T

AT&T worked with the Federal Communications Commission to integrate 911 into their existing systems. AT&T chose the 911 number and integrated the system into the company’s existing systems. The company selected 911 for three reasons: First, it’s short and easy to dial on a rotary phone. Second, the number 9 was not yet used as an extension. Third, the company had already developed numbers like 411, allowing them to use the same basic infrastructure to process and route 911.

Not All Countries Use The Number 911

While North America uses 911 as an emergency number, other countries dial 999. These countries include  Ireland, Poland, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Macau, Bahrain, Qatar, Bangladesh, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, Zimbabwe, Kingdom of Swaziland, and Trinidad and Tobago. For all members of the European Union and several other countries, 112 is the emergency number. In the United Kingdom, both 999 and 112 connect to an emergency center. Additionally, in the United States some carriers, such as AT&T, will direct the number 112 to 911.

Not All 911 Calls Are Emergencies

Some people phone 911 for non-emergencies such as an overflowing toilet, a barking dog or that the batteries have died in their smoke detector. Usually, the operator will tell them to call someone else, but some cities press charges if 911 is misused. That was the case for a woman in Ohio who was hit with a misdemeanor charge for phoning 911 because she didn’t like her Chinese food. A woman in Deltona, Florida, was arrested after she called 911 four times to complain about a nail technician.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Thomas Jefferson_2

On April 13, 1743, Thomas Jefferson was born and grew up to become one of the most important figures in American history. Here are five lesser-known facts about the author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third President of the United States.

He Bribed A Reporter

James Callender condemned some politicians in his news articles for their indiscretions, including John Adams and Alexander Hamilton. His attention was turned to Jefferson in 1801 because he had heard that he was romantically involved with Sally Hemings, his slave. Callender tried to blackmail Jefferson, asking for $200 and a postmaster’s job in exchange for keeping quiet. Although Jefferson angrily paid him $50, the reporter broke the news anyway. Callender  later drowned in the James River in 1803.

He Invented A Few Things

In addition to being one of the Founding Fathers and a brilliant statesman, Jefferson used his talent as an inventor to improve upon his farm at Monticello. Anxious to till soil more efficiently, he and his son-in-law, Thomas Mann Randolph, conceived of a plow that could navigate hills. Jefferson also made improvements to a dumbwaiter, a small elevator used to transport food and other items up and down different house levels without using the stairs.

Jefferson Helped To Restock the Library of Congress

British forces burned the Library of Congress during the War of 1812, reducing its 3000-volume library of books to ashes. In an effort to repopulate the repository of knowledge, Jefferson sold Congress his entire personal library of 6,707 books for $23,950. The books from Jefferson’s library were transported by wagon to Washington, D.C., from his home in Virginia.

Jefferson Was One of The Founders of The University of Virginia

Jefferson was a strong advocate of education and worked to establish a higher education institution in Virginia. Jefferson arranged funding, contributed design ideas, and helped shepherd the University of Virginia toward its opening in 1825. Known as the “founding father” of the university, his influence has not always been welcomed.. In 2018, protestors at the school spray-painted the word “rapist” on his statue at the school, referring to his controversial  relationship with slave Sally Hemings.

He Died On The Same Day As John Adams

On July 4, 1826, former Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who were once fellow Patriots and then adversaries, died on the same day. Both men were the last surviving members of the original American revolutionaries who had stood up to the British empire and forged a new political system in the former colonies. On July 4, 1826, at the age of 90, Adams lay on his deathbed while the country celebrated Independence Day. His last words were, "Thomas Jefferson still survives." He was mistaken: Jefferson had died five hours earlier at Monticello at the age of 83.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

On February 18, 1885, Mark Twain published The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The book remains one of the most loved, and most banned, books in American history. Here are five things you didn’t know about The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Huckleberry Finn First appears in Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a sequel to Tom Sawyer, Twain’s novel about his childhood in Hannibal, Missouri. Huck also appears in Tom Sawyer, Detective, and Tom Sawyer Abroad. Twain once said that Huck is based on Tom Blankenship, a childhood friend whose father, Woodson Blankenship, was a poor drunkard and the likely model for Pap Finn. In Huckleberry Finn I have drawn Tom Blankenship exactly as he was,” Twain wrote in his autobiography, “He was ignorant, unwashed, insufficiently fed; but he had as good a heart as ever any boy had.

Many Consider Huckleberry Finn The First American Novel

“All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn,” Ernest Hemingway wrote in Green Hills Of Africa. “There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since." Huckleberry Finn was notable because it was the first novel to be written in the American vernacular. Huck speaks in dialect, using phrases like “it ain’t no matter” or "it warn’t no time to be sentimentering.” Since most writers of the time were still imitating European literature, writing the way Americans actually talked seemed revolutionary. It was language that was clear, crisp, and vivid, and it changed how Americans wrote.

The Book Is Frequently Banned By Schools Around The Country

Huckleberry Finn was first banned in Concord, Massachusetts in 1885. It was considered “trash only suitable for the slums”, and continues to be one of the most-challenged books. The objections are usually over the n-word, which occurs over 200 times in the book. Others say that the portrayal of African Americans is stereotypical, or racist.

The Drawing of Penis Nearly Ruined The Book

Twain hired 23-year-old E.W. Kemble to illustrate the book’s first edition. As soon as the book went to press, it was discovered that someone added a penis to the drawing of Uncle Silas. According to Twain’s business manager Charles Webster, 250 books were sent out before the mistake was caught. They were recalled and publication was postponed for a reprint. Webster went on to say that if the full run had been sent out, Twain’s “credit for decency and morality would have been destroyed."

It Took Seven Years To Write The Book

Huckleberry Finn was written in two bursts. The first was in 1876, when Twain wrote 400 pages that he told his friend he liked “only tolerably well.” He stopped working on it for several years to write The Prince and the Pauper and Life on the Mississippi. Twain explained in his autobiography that he would work faithfully on a book for as long as it "wrote itself". He returned to writing Huckleberry Finn in 1882, after he took a steamboat ride on the Mississippi from New Orleans to Minnesota.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The Battle of Iwo Jima_3

On February 19, 1945, U.S. Marines invaded Iwo Jima and engaged in one of the most important battles of World War II. Find out what you didn’t know about Operation Detachment, the success of which brought American forces within 660 miles of Japan...

The Medal of Honor Was Awarded to 27 Men For Valor at Iwo Jima

The Battle of Iwo Jima accounted for 1/3 of all Medal of Honor awards for U.S. Marines in WWII.  27 U.S. Marine Corps and Navy personnel were awarded Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration in America, for their heroics in the Battle of Iwo Jima. On February 19, 1985, an event was held to mark the 40th anniversary of the landing on Iwo Jima. Called “Reunion of Honor”, it was attended by veterans from both sides that fought the battle.

The Battle of Iwo Jima Was The Costliest Battle in The U.S. Marine Corps

On the first day of the battle, Lt. General Holland Smith predicted that capturing Iwo Jima would cost up to 15,000 casualties among American troops. In fact, he was way off; the battle made casualties of one in four U.S. troops, a staggering ratio when you consider that their forces numbered close to 100,000. Over 23,000 of them were U.S. Marines, with close to 6,000 dead, making it the costliest battle in the history of the Marine Corps. On the other side, Japanese forces are believed to have numbered over 21,000 at the start of the battle. Only about 1,000 were taken prisoner. The other 20,000 were killed or committed suicide. 

The United States Transferred Ownership of Iwo Jima Back to Japan

Although the battle for Iwo Jima resulted in more than 26,000 American casualties, including 6,800 dead., the island was returned to Japan after 24 years. When Eisaku Sato, the Japanese Premier, visited America in 1968, President Lyndon Johnson gave Japan some small islands captured during the war, including Iwo Jima. Veterans of the battle from Japan and the United States hold a reunion on Iwo Jima every year.

Two Japanese Soldiers Didn’t Surrender Until 1949

American forces outnumbered the Japanese troops, but Japanese soldiers prepared and fortified the island in advance. They dug extensive caves and a warren of tunnels in which to hide and move around. Two Japanese soldiers who participated in the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima stayed hidden in the tunnels and caves for nearly five years, avoiding detection by U.S. forces.

Navajo Code Talkers Were Credited With Winning the Battle of Iwo Jima

Navajo code talkers used their native language to relay coded messages during the battle. It was so successful that Major General Howard Connor said that without the Native Americans, the Marines could never have captured Iwo Jima. Lt General Seizo Arisue, the Japanese chief of intelligence, admitted after the war that while they broke the Air Force code, they failed to break the Navajo code, making it one of a select few codes in history to remain unbroken.

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6 Things You Didn't Know About The Postal Service_3

On February 20, 1792, President George Washington signed an act creating the U.S. Post Office. Here are five interesting facts you probably didn't know about the U.S. Postal Service...

Blue Mailboxes Came to Be in 1971

The postal services mailboxes are distinguishable thanks to their color. It would be hard to imagine them being anything other than blue. But the postal service didn't actually start painting their mailboxes blue until as recently as 1971. Prior to the 1970s, mailboxes ranged in colors, including army green just after the First World War.

Mules Still Deliver Mail in One Part of the Country

It may be hard to believe, but there is still one part of the US where mules still deliver mail. While this may sound like a scene from Little House on the Prairie, it's a real scenario played out in a small village in Arizona. Mail is still being delivered in this pioneer way because of the location of the village of Supai at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Mules and horses have to trek 8 miles to deliver mail to the local Havasupai tribe that lives there.

The Post Office Has an Unofficial Mascot

The US Post Office's unofficial mascot is a dog named Owney. The terrier was found abandoned at a post office in Albany in the late 1800s. The dog stuck around the post office and would only allow postal workers to pet him. Owney was eventually honored with a commemorative stamp in 2011.

Over 200 Billion Pieces of Mail Are Delivered Every Year

We all know how busy mail carriers can be, but it may come as some surprise at just how productive they really are. There are currently over 40,000 post offices across the US, delivering 212 billion pieces of mail every year to over 144 million homes and businesses.

1940 Marked the First Year With an African-American on a Stamp

Booker T. Washington was the first African-American to be commemorated on a stamp in April 1940. The stamp was part of the Post Office's Famous American Series.

The Postmaster General Earns More Than the Vice President of the US

Only one federal government employee earns more than the Postmaster General: the US President. The Postmaster General earns more than the Vice President of the US as a federal employee, earning $276,840 a year compared to the vice president's salary of $235,100.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Polaroid

On February 21, 1947, Edwin Land displayed his Polaroid Land camera, a unique camera that could produce in as little as 60 seconds. Here are 5 interesting facts that you probably  didn't know the company...

Polaroid Initially Made Sunglasses

Polaroid inventor, Edwin Land, came up with the first polarizing material intended for commercial use in 1929 and established the Polaroid Corporation in 1937. But even though Polaroid is known as an instant camera, the company actually started out making sunglasses. More specifically, the company created Polaroid Day Glasses, the first pair of sunglasses that featured a polarizing filter. The glasses were designed to cut out glare instead of darkening the landscape.

Edwin Land's Daughter Inspired the Creation of the First Polaroid Camera

While vacationing in Santa Fe, Edwin's daughter — then 3 years old — wondered why the camera being used to take their holiday pictures couldn't produce immediate physical photos. That question inspired him to set out to invent such a camera. His prototype was complete and ready to be shown to the world by 1947, then known as the Polaroid Land Camera with film. It was the world's first one-step, dry-process camera that could produce photos within one minute. It was an instant hit and sold out during the following Christmas season of 1948, and remained on the market for over 50 years.

The Polaroid Camera Tripled in Size in WWII

During the Second World War, Polaroid accepted a $7 million Navy contract to work on Project Dove, a Navy-backed project to create a heat-seeking missile bomb, the first of its kind. This was the most significant contract Polaroid ever had, though the bomb never ended up being used during WWII.
Polaroid's efforts during the war didn't end there, as the company became involved in 3D technology and helped design a trainer whereby students would operate a life-size anti-aircraft gun that simulated a plane's attack. Reconnaissance aircraft were able to take 3D vector graphs that showed relief maps of enemy territory. When combined with polarized glasses, the 3D photos would outline contours of planes, buildings, and even guns.

Polaroid Played a Role in The Medical Imaging Field

In addition to its role in producing commercial use cameras and helping the US successfully fight the Second World War, Polaroid has also had its hand in the world of healthcare. In 1993, Polaroid released Helios, a medical laser imaging system that produced medical diagnostic images in as little as 90 seconds. Polaroid's goal was to slash costs for radiology departments all over the world.

Lady Gaga Worked as Polaroid's Creative Director

Lady Gaga spent four years working as a creative director for Polaroid. The singer was part of the launch of several products under the Gray Label name, including a pair of camera sunglasses that featured 1.5-inch LCD displays. The glasses served as wearable cameras that could take pictures and be pre-loaded with videos and slideshows. The design of these glasses was inspired by Lady Gaga's Poker Face music video.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About El Chapo

On February 22, 2014, the world’s most-wanted drug kingpin “El Chapo” was captured and arrested in Mexico, after outrunning law enforcement for more than a decade. Here are 5 surprising facts you didn't know about El Chapo.

His Nickname of “El Chapo” Was a Physical Description

El Chapo, whose real name was Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, was nicknamed a Spanish version of the word “shorty.”  It was used to describe his short stature, standing at only 5’6″ tall. This physical attribute became an advantage when he escaped prison, crawling into a small hole under his cell’s shower.

El Chapo Was the Houdini of Drug Kingpins

Guzman managed to escape from prison twice. The first time was in Jalisco, Mexico, when he escaped from the Puente Grande prison with 78 people cited as conspirators. He was recaptured in 2014 but escaped again in 2015, this time through a tunnel dug under his cell’s shower room.

Actor Sean Penn Interviewed Him

While on the run, Guzman met Hollywood actor Sean Penn. Penn interviewed the Mexican kingpin and it was published in Rolling Stone magazine. Guzman was quoted as saying, “I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana than anybody else in the world.”

He Was On The Forbes Billionaires List

In 2009, Guzman made it to the Forbes Billionaires list. He ranked 701 with an estimated wealth of $1 billion. In Mexico, he was listed as the 10th richest man in the country. As the leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel, Guzman has moved illegal drugs in the US more than any other drug lord. He is reported to have brought 500,000 tons of cocaine in the United States.

He Was a Drug Dealer With His Own Shipping Line

Guzman’s shipping empire helped guarantee total freedom to conduct his drug smuggling. His business in transporting drugs meant that he didn’t have to deal with outside parties. A report released recently said that he had a large fleet of Boeing 747 jets and submarines to move his illegal drugs into the United States from Mexico.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The Polio Vaccine

On this day in 1954, a group of children from Arsenal Elementary School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, received the first injections of the new polio vaccine. Here are 5 things you didn't know about the polio vaccine...

Salk Tested The Vaccine on Himself And His Family

After successfully inoculating thousands of monkeys, Salk began the risky step of testing the vaccine on humans in 1952. In addition to administering the vaccine to children at two Pittsburgh-area institutions, Salk injected himself, his wife and his three sons in his kitchen after boiling the needles and syringes on his stovetop. Salk announced the success of the initial human tests to a national radio audience on March 26, 1953. 

Franklin D. Roosevelt Was Instrumental in the Development of a Vaccine

Franklin D. Roosevelt came down with polio in 1921 at age 39, following his nomination as a vice presidential candidate, which left his legs permanently paralyzed. Five years after he was elected president, he helped create the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, which became the March of Dimes. Using poster children and celebrities to encourage funding, the foundation raised $20 million or more each year by the latter part of the 1940s.

A Tainted Batch of The Salk Vaccine Killed 11 People

This happened in 1955 when a batch of the inactivated-strain vaccines was contaminated with live polio virus due to human error. 11 people died; 200 had become infected with polio as a result of the tainted batch. Although the United States surgeon general ordered all inoculations temporarily halted, Americans continued to vaccinate themselves and their children. Outside of the “Cutter Incident,” not a single case of polio attributed to the Salk vaccine was ever contracted in the United States.ad

Salk Did Not Patent His Vaccine

On April 12, 1955, the day the Salk vaccine was declared “safe, effective and potent,” legendary CBS newsman Edward R. Morrow interviewed its creator and asked who owned the patent. “Well, the people, I would say... There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?” said Salk. Lawyers for the foundation had investigated the possibility of patenting the vaccine but did not pursue it, in part because of Salk’s reluctance.ad

The U.S. Is Now Considered Polio-Free

The CDC says the U.S. has been considered polio-free since 1979, thanks to those early mass vaccinations and continuing childhood vaccination requirements. While polio is a distant memory in most of the world, the disease still exists in some places and mainly affects children under 5. One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis (usually in the legs). 

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Guantanamo Bay

On February 24, 1903, President Roosevelt signed an agreement with Cuba to lease 45 square miles of land and water around Guantanamo Bay.  Here are five surprising things you didn’t know about Guantanamo Bay...

The U.S. Leased The Land For Guantanamo From Cuba

The United States leases 45 square miles of land and water at Guantanamo Bay. These rights originally came from the 1903 Platt Amendment, which resulted from the American occupation of Cuba that began during the Spanish-American War.

The Lease Rent Is Equal to an Expensive House

Leasing the Guantanamo Bay area is supposed to cost the United States $4,085 each month, paid to the Cuban government. Former President Fidel Castro protested Americans' occupation on Cuban soil, and refused to cash these checks for over half a century. Cuba accidentally cashed just one check 60 years ago by mistake. According to Castro, that check was cashed in 1959 due to confusion during the Cuban revolution.

Guantanamo Is The Most Expensive Prison in The World

The U.S. government is estimated to be spending between $9.5 – $13 million per year on each prisoner. Currently, there are 40 inmates. Sheikh Mohammed, a suspected mastermind of the 9/11 terror attack in the United States, has spent 17 years at Guantanamo Bay. This means that $161.5 million of US taxpayers’ money has been spent on just him alone. In total the prison has cost taxpayers $6 billion since it was established by the Bush Administration. 

Close to 6,000 People Live There

They include families of American sailors and long-term contractors with about 250 school-aged children who go to a K-12 school system run by the Department of Defense. The Naval base has a seaport and airstrip, which are both run by the Navy. It also has a McDonald’s, a nine-hole golf course, beaches, a bowling alley and a chapel complex.

1/3 Of The Residents Work At The Military Prison

Nearly a third of the residents — 1,800 troops and contractors — are assigned to the Detention Center Zone. It’s a base within the base where the Pentagon has 40 war-on-terror prisoners, all sent there by the George W. Bush administration.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Samuel Colt_2

On February 25, 1836, American inventor Samuel Colt patented his revolver. Many historians have said that the Colt firearm altered the course of history.  Here are 5 things you probably didn't know about gun manufacturer and industrialist Samuel Colt...

A Ship’s Wheel Inspired The Design For Colt’s Revolver

In 1830, when Samuel Colt was a teenager who had been expelled from school, he took a sea voyage on a ship going to London and Calcutta, India. While onboard the ship, he became obsessed with the ship’s wheel, which he noted could be spun or locked into one position. Reportedly, this observation sparked his idea for a revolving chamber capable of holding six bullets that could lock into place. He later used this technique to create a prototype revolver gun that used a cylindrical design and could fire multiple bullets without the need to be reloaded.

His Revolvers Became Popular During the Mexican-American War

Colt’s fledgling company was on the verge of collapse, but the Mexican-American War, which lasted from 1846 to 1848, saw a significant renewal of interest in his 5-shot revolver. The revolvers were quickly rising in the ranks of American soldiers and became favorites of the renowned Texas Rangers.  One of the Rangers, Samuel Walker, later worked with Colt to develop the Walker .44, which was so popular that 1,000 revolvers were ordered in 1847 by General Zachary Taylor. Colt’s luck quickly turned, as Colt became synonymous with American warfare.

Colt Used Product Placement to Promote Sales of His Guns

Colt knew how to think outside the box to promote the sale of his revolvers. Samuel Colt was an early adopter of marketing using product placement. Colt knew that to dominate the firearms market he needed to get his products everywhere; therefore, he commissioned the famous western artist George Catlin to depict Colt revolvers in his paintings. In addition to commissioning artwork, Colt also hired authors to write stories and features that included mention of his guns.

Colt Used Assembly Lines Before Henry Ford Did

In 1913, Henry Ford began using assembly lines in his factory, but Colt used them even earlier. His revolvers were mass-produced and his facility in Hartford turned out 150 guns a day. The venture was successful because the guns were constructed using interchangeable parts, which made the finished product more easily available and affordable. 

He Never Held The Colt .45 In His Hand

The Colt .45 was not released until a decade after the death of the inventor of the revolver. In addition to being called the “Peacemaker,” it was also referred to as “the gun that won the West.” From 1873 to 1892, the Colt .45 served as the standard service revolver of the U.S. military.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Kellogg's Corn Flakes_2

On February 26, 1852, John Harvey Kellogg was born. He is best known today for the invention of the breakfast cereal corn flakes. Here are 5 things you didn’t know about the surprising history of corn flakes...

Corn Flakes Were Invented by Accident

As superintendent at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan in 1894, Dr. John Kellogg and his brother Will were searching for healthy vegetarian dishes to feed the patients. According to company history, it was one night in 1898 when a batch of wheat-based cereal dough was accidentally left out for an extended period of time, causing it to ferment. When rolled out into thin sheets, the slightly moldy dough produced perfect large, thin flakes that became crispy and tasty in the oven. Over the next several years, they experimented with the recipe, and figured out that corn, rather than wheat, produced even crunchier, crispier flakes,  and corn flakes were born.

Corn Flakes Was The First Box of Cereal To Contain Prizes

If you’ve ever bought a cereal box with a prize inside, you can thank Kelloggs. Kellogg’s Corn Flakes manufactured between 1909 and 1931 came with a prize inside the cereal box, and Kellogg’s was the first company to do this.  The first prize was a booklet for children called Kellogg’s Funny Jungleland and contained pictures of animals dressed in colorful clothing.  It was a clever marketing tactic that also entertained children at the same time.

The Cereal Mascot Isn’t a Rooster for the Reason You Think

Yes, roosters are known to crow when the sun comes up, and many people eat cereal for breakfast. However, that is not why this bird decorates the box of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. Nansi Richards was a Welsh harpist who happened to be a friend of Kellogg’s. She pointed out that the word rooster in Welsh is "ceiliog," which sounds a lot like Kellogg. This mascot, named Cornelius Rooster ("Corny" for short) was a hit with consumers, eventually becoming an iconic branding touch.

Corn Flakes Have Been to the Moon

As one of the foods taken along for the first moon landing, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes was compressed so it would fit into an airtight pouch and milk powder made from freeze-dried milk was added. That was so the astronauts could add water to rehydrate it and enjoy their morning corn flakes. The breakfast cereal was encased in a laminated coating to prevent spoilage.

Kellogg and His Brother Had a Falling Out Over Sugar

Dr. John Kellogg wanted a food that would be healthy for his patients of the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan where he was superintendent. The breakfast cereal proved popular among the patients, but his brother Will Kellogg wanted to add sugar to increase its popularity, which John was against. Eleven years after its invention, Will started his own company to produce the corn flakes with sugar, infuriating John and leading to a lifelong rift between the two brothers.

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5 Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Mardi Gras_2

On February 27, 1827, a group of masked and costumed students danced through the streets of New Orleans, Louisiana, marking the beginning of the city’s famous Mardi Gras celebrations.  Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about Mardi Gras...

Alabama Held the First Mardi Gras Celebration

Contrary to popular belief, the festival didn’t actually begin in New Orleans, but rather in present-day Mobile, Alabama. Dating even further back, Mardis Gras came to the US in the late 17th century from medieval Europe as a French Catholic tradition.  King Louis the XIV ordered his men to defend France's territorial claim of "Louisiane," which incorporated Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and parts of Texas. Years later, French settlers put together the first Mardis Gras celebrations on American soil in Mobile, Alabama. When New Orleans was eventually established, Mardis Gras made its way there. To this day, Mobile puts on a huge festival for Mardi Gras. 

Mardi Gras Colors are Purple, Gold and Green

It's tough not to notice the vibrant colors that make up the scene of Mardis Gras.  More specifically, you'll notice green, gold, and purple being donned on all the eccentric costumes and bright beads adorned by party-goers. The colors date back to 1982 and were chosen not just because of their vibrancy but also because of what they symbolize. Gold stands for faith, green stands for faith, and purple symbolizes justice.

Mardis Gras Is a Legal Holiday

Mardis Gras isn't just a party in the streets or parades of floats. Mardi Gras is a legal holiday in Louisiana, and has been since 1875, when Governor Warmoth signed the “Mardi Gras Act.”  The holiday is on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, a day honored by Catholics. Following Mardis Gras, Lent begins, which is the six weeks leading up to Easter. This day is also referred to as "Fat Tuesday" or "Shrove Tuesday" because it's the last opportunity to eat rich, fatty foods before upholding the sacrifices throughout the season of Lent.

"Laissez les bon temps rouler" Is The Official Greeting Of Mardi Gras

You'll hear "laissez les bon temps rouler" (pronounced lay-say le bon tom roo-lay) over and over again at Mardi Gras celebrations. The phrase means "let the good times roll" in Cajun French. Apparently, there is a way to respond to the popular French phrase. When someone shouts "Laissez les bon temps rouler" you should respond with "Oui, cher."

It’s Illegal Not To Wear a Mask Onboard a Float

It’s not just a tradition—it’s the law! Everyone on the float must wear a mask or paint their face. The practice was originally started to encourage people to mingle and talk to those outside of your social circle. But if you want to ride on a float, it will cost you. In addition to paying a membership fee, krewe members dish out major cash for beads, costumes, security, clean-up crews, and Mardi Gras balls year after year. Luckily, many krewes allow members to take a break for a year, as long as they send a friend to ride (and pay) in their place.

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5 Interesting Facts About The M*A*S*H Finale_2

On this day in 1983, the celebrated sitcom M*A*S*H bows out after 11 seasons, airing a special two-and-a-half hour episode watched by 77 percent of the television viewing audience. To commemorate the men and women of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, here are  4 interesting facts about the series finale...

Only Two Actors Appeared in Both the First and Last Episodes

Alan Alda, who played surgeon Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce, and Loretta Swit, known as the nurse, Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan, were the only two actors to appear in the first episode as well as the two-hour finale. Alda appeared in all the episodes during the 11 seasons M*A*S*H was aired and was also the director of the finale. Swit appeared in all but 11 of the show's 256 episodes. The television series was a spinoff from the 1970 movie M*A*S*H, which was directed by Robert Altman and starred Donald Sutherland. 

The Finale Was Filmed Early on in The Last Season

In case you need more evidence of how great this cast was, look at the emotion on their faces as they say goodbye during the finale. One might assume that the final episode of a show would be the last one filmed on set. But that wasn't the case with M*A*S*H. Instead, the "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" finale was filmed early in the season.  The actors had to wipe away their tears and emotions and then carry on to craft a handful of other episodes.

The Finale Caused a Water Surge in New York

So many people rushed to the restroom after the ending to M*A*S*H finale, that a drop in pressure from all the toilet flushing by New Yorkers caused a surge in the tunnels bringing water from the Catskills to New York. It was estimated that 6.7 million extra gallons of water entered the New York City sewers around three minutes after the end of the show.

The M*A*S*H Finale Still Holds The Title of The Most-Watched TV Episode in US History

On the evening of February 28, 1983, a whopping 77% of Americans watching TV were tuned into the series finale of M*A*S*H, the equivalent of 121.6 million people. When the show began in 1972, a 30-second commercial cost advertisers a mere $30,000. But for the series finale, the same commercial slot cost $450,000 due to the sheer volume of viewers that would be glued to their TVs watching the last episode of the infamous television show.

A Construction Worker Came Across the Show's Time Capsule Shortly After the Show's Ending

In one of the show's episodes, the characters dig a hole and bury a time capsule under the Fox Ranch. Just a couple of months later, the ranch was sold. And shortly after that, a construction worker stumbled upon the time capsule.  Not sure what to do with it, he got in touch with the show's star, Alan Alda, to inquire about what should be done with it. Alda told the construction worker to keep the capsule. Interestingly, the actor claimed that the construction worker wasn't too impressed with his response.

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5 Interesting Facts About The United States Census

Today  is the anniversary of Congress passing the Census Act of 1790. President George Washington signed the law, which authorized the collection of population data by U.S. Marshals.  Here are  five things interesting facts about the U.S. Census.

The Census Has Been Taken Every 10 Years for a Long Time

The government took the first census of the United States took place 1790, and was conducted by then Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. At the time, no one had any idea what the population of the country was. The population count of the first 1790 census was 3,929,214, which is right around the current population of Oklahoma and about 1% of the US’s current population!

We Had a Census Before We Had a Census Office

?Despite conducting a census every ten years starting in 1790, the US didn’t actually establish a Census Office until 1840. That’s right, it took 50 years to realize — maybe someone should actually be in charge of this massive undertaking. Congress passed the Census Act in 1840 which created the Census Office. . It wasn’t until 1902 that it became a permanent organization in the Department of the Interior. That didn’t last long though. Just one year later, in 1903, it was moved to the Department of Commerce and Labor.

Taking the Census Is Mandated in the U.S. Constitution

You can find the mandate to count the United States population every ten years in Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution. Counting a country’s population is nothing new because the Chinese, Babylonians, Romans, and Egyptians conducted censuses, as did William the Conqueror in 1086. Censuses are even mentioned in the Bible.  The United States was also the first country to constitutionally mandate a regular census and the first to use the census for apportioning political power. To this day, the number of seats each state holds in the House of Representatives depends entirely on census results

Federal Marshals Initially Performed The Census

In addition to hunting down fugitives and placing people in witness protection, U.S. marshals were responsible for counting the number of inhabitants in their district. As result, they hired roughly 650 assistants for the first census in 1790 and sent them door-to-door. In 1879, enumerators replaced the U.S. Marshals trained for the job. Congress further professionalized the count in 1902 by creating a permanent government agency, the U.S. Census Bureau.

Many Records Were Lost Over The Years

Not all of the census records over the years are in existence, much to the frustration of genealogists and family historians. Scholars believe many of the early records from New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, Delaware, Tennessee, and Kentucky were lost during the War of 1812 when the British burned Washington, D.C. More than 99 percent of the 1890 census records are also gone, the result of a 1921 fire at the Commerce Department.

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5 Things You Might Not Know About The Ford Mustang_2

On March 1, 1966, in Dearborn, Michigan, the Ford Motor Company celebrated the production of its one millionth Mustang, which was a white convertible. Here are five things you never knew about the Ford Mustang.

The First Mustang Off the Production Line Ended Up in Canada

The very first Ford Mustang was sold to a persuasive Canadian, even though it shouldn’t have been sold at all.  Serial number 5F08F100001 was a convertible painted in Wimbledon White that caught the eye of Stanley Tucker, an Eastern Airlines pilot from Canada who was in St. John’s, Newfoundland, at the local Ford dealership. Tucker was able to talk the dealer into selling the car to him even though it wasn't for sale. The problem was that first Mustang was actually a preproduction model that  Ford had planned to transport from one Canadian Ford dealership to another, drumming up interest in the car before it was available in that market. To get the vehicle back from Tucker, Ford had to beg for two years and promise it would deliver the one millionth Mustang to the Canadian fan in exchange for the first one. That one millionth was built in 1966 and was also a white convertible. Today, serial number 5F08F100001 is displayed in the Henry Ford Museum. It still has Tucker’s license plate on it, too.

22,000 Were Sold On The First Day

To say people were excited about the Ford Mustang would be an understatement, as 22,000 units were sold on the first day. When the pony car made its debut on April 17, 1964, the base price was just $2,368. Ford’s original sales forecast for the Mustang in the first year was about 100,000. Instead, Ford sold 400,000 within the first 12 months of production and more than 1 million units were sold by March 1966. Since its debut, this iconic car has sold more than 9 million. 

The Most Expensive Mustang Cost $1.3 Million

The most expensive Mustang ever sold went for a whopping $1.3 million in 2013 at the Mecum Auction in Indianapolis. Why did this particular Mustang go for such a high price? Well, it was the rare 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake. Not only was it the first Mustang to be called a Super Snake, but it was the only one of its kind. Originally, only 50 were supposed to be made, but its $8,000 price tag didn’t sit well with potential buyers and thus only one was made

In Germany, Ford Sold The Mustang Under Another Name

Back in the day, Ford couldn’t sell Mustangs in Germany. It wasn’t because of safety or emissions regulations, but instead the name “Mustang” was already in use on a commercial truck. Ford didn’t want to pay the hefty chunk of cash it would’ve taken to buy the rights to the Mustang name in Germany. Instead, it changed the car’s name to T5 for that market. That alpha-numeric code actually was used by engineers during the vehicle’s development. All Mustang badges, including the hubcaps, had to be removed from the cars. What’s more, Finally, in 1973 Krupp’s copyright expired. Ford sold just 3,600 cars in Germany between 1967 and 1973. Today, a Ford T5 fetches a huge price as they’re highly collectible.

It's Difficult to Find a Yellow Mustang

The first yellow paint option for Mustangs was introduced back in 1965, called Springtime Yellow. Even though the color wasn’t chosen too often by buyers, Ford kept it for the 1966 model year. A a mere 1,503 Canary Yellow Mustangs were sold in 1993, and only 11,471 Zinc Yellow Mustangs were scooped up by buyers in 2001. Seeing a Ford Mustang with a yellow paint job is actually quite rare, with low production numbers for most model years. There’s even a Yellow Ford Mustang Registry, which boasts about 9,000 members.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Time Magazine

The first issue of Time magazine made its debut on March. 3, 1923, and had the now-obscure Joseph G. Cannon (the former House Speaker) on the cover. In honor of this anniversary of the first issue, here are 5 things you probably didn't know about Time magazine.

Richard Nixon Has Appeared On The Cover 55 Times

Richard Nixon has appeared on the cover of Time magazine 55 times, more than any other individual since the weekly publication began. He first graced the cover in August, 1952, three months before his election as Dwight Eisenhower's vice president.

A Commemorative Issue of Time Resulted in The Highest Sales

On September 14, 2001, the magazine published a commemorative edition of the September 11 terrorist attack. It was the best-selling issue in the magazine's history, with a reported 3,397,721 of the magazines sold at newsstands. On the cover of that issue, the name Time appears behind the Twin Towers as they billow from the top with smoke and flames, with the only other print on the front being the date of the attack.

All But Three U.S. Presidents Have Been Person of the Year

U.S. Presidents often appear on Time magazine covers. However, Calvin Coolidge, Gerald Ford, and Herbert Hoover are the only presidents never named Person of the Year since the magazine began. Hoover and Coolidge were the first two Presidents in the tradition’s existence, and Gerald Ford …well, he was Gerald Ford.

Creation of a Person of the Year Was Due to a Backlash From Readers

Charles Lindbergh was chosen as Time's Man of the Year in 1927 because readers were upset that he had not been featured on the magazine cover after his historic transatlantic flight. Time generally chose someone for the cover who had done something notable that week, but when Lindbergh was making history with his flight, an old photo of King George V and his wife was featured on the cover wearing masquerade costumes. To cover up the embarrassment, they named Lindbergh as their first Man of the Year.

Some Real Bad Men Have Been Named Person of The Year

People often believe the title of Person of the Year is synonymous with the best person of the year, but this is false. Instead, Time explicitly states that the Person of the Year is a person, group, idea, or object that has influenced the previous year “for better or for worse.” This has led to the controversial naming of figures such as Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin as Person of the Year.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The Spanish Flu Pandemic

On March 4, 1918, the first cases were reported of the historic influenza pandemic of 1918, later known as Spanish flu. The flu would eventually kill 675,000 Americans and an estimated 20 million to 50 million people around the world, Here are 5 facts you didn't  know about the Spanish flu pandemic.

It Didn’t Start In Spain

The influenza broke out toward the final years of World War I, and European nations tried to keep the news of its spread quiet, so as to not create panic or hurt the national morale after the armistice. The only country who didn’t censor its news in such a way was Spain, who reported on the outbreak. Unfortunately, by reporting the truth, the country found its name associated with a deadly virus that killed vast numbers of people worldwide.

The Spanish Flu Hit America Hard

Although travel wasn't as frequent around World War I, many American soldiers were going to Europe and returning home. The flu struck the United States hard. Almost 700,000 fatalities were attributed to the Spanish Flu during this period. However, people socially distanced, schools, restaurants, and other businesses closed down for months at a time, and people were ordered to stay at home and shelter in place, too. Sound familiar?

No One Know When The Spanish Flu Began or Where

There have been debates over the years on where the Spanish Flu originated. There are multiple origin theories including the Western Front in Northern France, China, and Kansas, where the outbreak first happened in the United States. It may have begun as early as 1916, and only reached full strength in the final year of the First World War.

The War Helped Spread the Virus

The Spanish Flu spread swiftly around the world, aided particularly by the movement of troops. Within a little over a year, it had infected up to 500 million individuals – a third of the world population – and killed up to 7% of the world's population. India was one of the hardest hit countries, with an estimated 18-20 million deaths.

The Spanish Flu Was Most Deadly To Young Adults

Seasonal influenza often targets the elderly and the youngest in the population. However, the highest number of fatalities from Spanish flu were young adults aged 20 to 40. One resident of Lancashire remembered that those who were very young or chronically sick seldom died of influenza, while athletic types and those who were physically fit did.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About The Hula-Hoop_2

The Hula-Hoop became a huge fad across America when it was first marketed by Wham-O in 1958.  The company was so unprepared for the hula hoop's success, that its inventors neglected to patent the hip-swiveling toy until March 5, 1963. To honor the anniversary of its patent, here are 5 things you didn’t know about the Hula Hoop.

The Hula-Hoop Wasn't The Company's First Famous Invention

The hula-hoop was the brainstorm of Richard Knerr and Arthur Melin, co-founders of the toy company Wham-O.  They men had already scored a big hit with another famous invention — the Frisbee. The idea for that invention came from watching students at Yale University toss back and forth actual pie tins made by the Frisbee Pie Company, which supplied the school with desserts. Besides the Hula hoop and the Frisbee, Wham-O also created many other popular toys including the Slip 'N Slide, Super Ball, Silly String, Hacky sack, and the Boogie Board.

Hula Hoops Weren't Popular in All Countries

Not all countries around the globe were ready for the Hula Hoop craze of the 1960s, and Japan actually banned them, as did Russia. Japan banned their use on city streets because they believed the hip movement needed to rotate the hoop was indecent. In Russia, they were referred to as an example of America’s empty culture. Later, however, Russian circuses and rhythmic gymnasts used hula hooping in their routines, even after the craze died down in other parts of the world. 

Wham-O Didn't Make Much Money From Selling the Popular Toy

The Hula Hoop was one of the biggest toy fads in history. It’s estimated that 40 million hoop toys were sold in 1958 alone. But like all fads, the Hula Hoop craze ended abruptly. Rich Knerr, co-founder of WHAM-O said, “It was born in January and dead as a doornail by October.” Knerr and Melin found themselves stuck with an enormous mountain of  inventory with few buyers. Surprisingly enough, they only made $10,000 in profit off of the countrywide craze. This was a direct result of business inexperience and millions of unsold hoops. “We completely lost control,” Mr. Knerr told Forbes magazine in 1982.

A Simple Tweak Led To A Comeback

Melin and Knee later obtained a patent for a modified version of the Hula Hoop in 1963 called the Shoop-Shoop Hula Hoop. Deciding that a Hula Hoop that made a noise when used was a good idea, they first experimented by adding walnut shells to make a sound. Later, ball bearings were used to replace the walnut shells, and many of today's hoop enthusiasts add extras like decorative tape. Some of today's hoops even contain strings of remote-controlled LED lights.

A Chicago Woman Holds A World Record

According to Guinness World Records, Jenny Doan made history last year by setting the world record for longest marathon hula-hooping session: 100 hours. The 29-year-old from Chicago attempted this record to raise money and bring awareness for Mental Health America, which provides support to those experiencing mental illness. Doan broke the previous record of 74 hours and 54 minutes set in 2009 by Aaron Hibbs in Columbus, Ohio. 

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5 Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Oreos_3

Happy National Oreo Cookie Day folks!  On March 6, 1912, Oreo sandwich cookies were introduced to the public in a grocery store in Hoboken, New Jersey. Whether you dunk them, twist them or eat them whole, here are 6 surprising things you should know about Oreo cookies...

The Original Oreos Were Lemon-Flavored Too

When Oreos first debuted in the early 20th century, Nabisco not only released the original but also Lemon Meringue — vanilla cookies with a tart and creamy center based on lemon meringue pie. Though both flavors were a hit among customers initially, the chocolate Oreo soon came out on top in popularity. The Lemon Meringue flavor was discontinued in 1920s. The regular Oreo has stood the test of time, but fans of the cookie can't help but wonder what the other original flavor tasted like.

Double Stuf Oreos Are A Lie

With a name like "Double Stuf," one would assume that there is precisely double the amount of white stuff in the middle of the two chocolate cookies that make up the Oreo sandwich. But such is not the case.
More specifically, there's only 1.86 times more filling in a Double Stuf Oreo than the original. Mega Stuf cookies, known to have three times the filling, only have 2.68 times the creme in reality.  Still, that's a lot of stuffing, so we'll let these exaggerations slide.

It takes 59 minutes to make an Oreo.Each

The perfection of an Oreo cookie is down to an exact science.  The Oreo wafer is baked for exactly 290.6 seconds at a temperature of 400°F from above and 300°F from below. The cookie- to- cream ratio of an original Oreo cookie is always, without fail, 71 percent chocolate cookie, to 29 percent cream, and  every Oreo cookie contains 90 ridges, 12 flowers, 12 dashes, and 12 dots. 

All Oreos Ever Made Could Wrap Around the Earth 381 Times

Since they were invented in 1912, over 500 billion Oreo cookies have been enjoyed around the world.  If all the Oreos ever sold were laid end to end, they would circle the earth 381 times.  Put in a different perspective, if all of the Oreos ever manufactured in the world were stacked on top of each other, they would reach the moon and back more than five times.

Men and Women Eat Oreos Differently

Women seem to enjoy the taste of the cream filling the most, so 41 percent of them like to screw apart the cookie before eating it. Eighty-four percent of men tend to eat the tasty treat whole, on the other hand. Dunking Oreos in milk is a popular activity among both sexes and can be done more easily by wedging the tines of a fork into the cream filling. 

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5 Surprising Facts About Alexander Graham Bell

On March 7, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell was granted a U.S. patent for his invention of the telephone. To celebrate that landmark development in telecommunications history, here are five things you probably didn't know about Alexander Graham Bell and the telephone.

He Filed for a Patent Two Hours Before His Rival

Another inventor, Ohio born Elisha Gray, invented a device similar to the telephone while working on his own solutions to improve the telegraph. The day Alexander Graham Bell filed his patent for the telephone, February 14, 1876, Gray's attorney filed a Patent Caveat, which would give him 90 days to file an additional patent application. The caveat would prevent anyone else that filed an application on the same invention from having their application processed for ninety days. But because Bell's patent arrived 2 hours before Gray's patent caveat, the United States Patent Office decided not to hear the caveat and awarded Bell the patent, #174465.  Gray would start a lawsuit against Bell in 1878, which he would ultimately lose.

Antonio Meucci Invented a Telephone 5 Years Before Both Bell and Gray

Italian inventor Antonio Meucci had filed his own patent caveat for a telephone device in December of 1871. However, he didn't renew the caveat after 1874, giving Bell the chance to be granted the patent in March 1876. That said, many scholars regard Meucci as the true inventor of the telephone.

Bell Offered Western Union The Chance to Buy His Invention

Western Union had the opportunity to buy the patent for the telephone for $100,000 in 1876. Bell was short on money back then, and as such, he attempted to sell his telephone patent to Western Union to recoup some funds. However, they declined his offer. Big mistake!

Bell Also Invented a Wireless Telephone

No, really, Bell created a version of a wireless phone that transmitted sound on a beam of light without the need for wires. It was called the" photophone" and was patented in 1880. He believed it could be used by sailors at sea to communicate with harbors on land, but there wasn't enough associated technology to put the photophone to widespread use. The photophone itself actually worked — that means a wireless phone existed long before any of the cell phones that seemed so advanced in the 20th century. 

Decibels Are Named After Him

Bell’s name remained in the popular lexicon after his death. To honor the inventor’s contributions to acoustical science, the standard unit for the intensity of sound waves was named the “bel” in the 1920s. The decibel, one-tenth of a bel, is the most commonly used metric for measuring the magnitude of noise.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The Iconic Volkswagen Microbus

On March 8, 1950, the VW bus went into production. Known officially as the Volkswagen Type 2 (the Beetle was the Type 1), the bus was a favorite mode of transportation for hippies in the during the 1960s and became an icon of the American counterculture movement. Here are 5 things you didn’t know about the VW Microbus.

It Wasn’t Originally Designed By Volkswagen

The initial concept of the Volkswagen Type 2 Transporter (the Microbus’ proper name)  didn’t come from VW at all. It actually came from a Dutch importer of Volkswagens named Ben Pon, who recognized a need for commercial vehicles following World War II. While visiting the VW factory in Wolfsburg, Pon noticed that the humble VW Beetle could possibly be converted into the commercial vehicle he was looking for. Pon drew a quick sketch in his notebook of a very simple and clever vehicle, essentially a box on wheels, with the driver sitting over the front wheel and an engine tucked in the back. It’s remarkable how close the final product was to this quick, crude sketch.

It was The Original target Of The infamous Chicken Tax

Following World War II, America got really good at mass chicken farming, so good that the flood of American chickens was running European chicken farmers out of business. To protect their farmers, many European countries, including, West Germany, responded by taxing the importation of American chickens.
The US government retaliated in 1964 by imposing a tariff on many European goods, including light commercial vehicles. When the 25 percent tariff went into effect, it killed VW’s commercial vehicle sales in the United States. The passenger-carrying Buses were exempt because they were not technically commercial vehicles.

It Was Designed Using a Wind Tunnel

The new design of the bus had poor aerodynamics since it was basically shaped like a brick.  With the weak 25-horse engine pushing the big box along, VW realized they’d need all the help they could get, so this thing had to be better at getting through the wind. Volkswagen engineers used a wind tunnel to redesign the bus and make it more aerodynamic. They were able to improve the aerodynamics to match that of the Jaguar E-class cars.

VW Advertised It As A "Station Wagon"

Volkswagen insisted on calling their vehicle a “station wagon,” since they felt many owners would be put off by the idea of owning a bus. Even though it’s not a station wagon in actual design, it was employed to do the same job as a station wagon—move people (usually a family) and a bunch of their goods easily. It was creative advertising that worked.

It's Coming Back

It’s official: The VW Bus is back, and it’s electric. Volkswagen announced a new electric Microbus in 2023, based on their concept vehicle, the ID. Buzz. Originally planned for release in 2022, the delay is due to a factory retooling in Hamburg, Germany. The Volkswagen Buzz will hold up to eight passenger vehicle with 162.5 cubic feet of cargo space. The Buzz will cost north of $40,000.  Would you be interested in buying one?  Comment below.....

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5 Stunning Facts You Didn't Know About The Barbie Doll

On March 9, 1959, Barbie made her debut at the American Toy Fair in New York City. To celebrate Barbie's birthday, here are 5 stunning facts you probably didn't know about everyone's favorite doll...

She Was Born On March 9, 1959

Mattel founders Elliot and Ruth Handler named Barbie after their daughter, Barbara Handler. The Ken doll was named after their son Kenneth Handler. Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts, and she was born March 9, 1959, which makes today her 62nd birthday. In Barbie's world, her parents are George and Margaret Roberts from Willows, Wisconsin. She has seven fictional siblings, including Stacie, Skipper, Krissy, Chelsea, Todd, Tutti, and Kelly. In 1959, the first Barbie, which sold for $3.00, came with a ponytail and dressed in a striped bathing suit.

She Was Created By An Engineer That Used To Work For The Pentagon

Jack Ryan began his career as an engineer, making missiles for the Pentagon, but was eventually hired away by Mattel for his "space-age savvy" and knowledge of materials. Ryan worked at Mattel for 20 years, becoming the company's vice president of research and development. There he was responsible for the Barbie doll, Hot Wheels, and Chatty Cathy. He was the sixth husband of actress Zsa Zsa Gabor.

She's Qualified to Do Almost Any Job

According to Mattel, Barbie has had over 200 inspirational careers including a Desert Storm medic, a cashier at McDonald's, and a paleontologist. In 2013, a collaboration between NASA and Mattel, introduced "Mars Explorer Barbie," a space suited version of the iconic fashion doll, which launched on the first anniversary of when NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars. Barbie even ran for president seven times. Unfortunately, America has yet to see Barbie in the Oval Office.

Barbie Dolls Have Unrealistic Proportions

A study was conducted in 1965 on the proportions and body shape of a Barbie doll compared to a female human. The study reported that Barbie, if she was human, would weigh 110 pounds and be 5’7” tall. The human Barbie’s measurements would be 32” x 16” by 29,” which is more than a little unrealistic. In 2016, Mattel released three new Barbie's with different proportions: petite, curvy, and tall. The company has also introduced a wider range of skin tones to reflect different ethnicities.

She Once Came With A Weigh Loss Book That Included "Don't Eat" As A Tip

Making body-image matters even worse is a piece of Barbie's history—1965's Slumber Party Barbie came with her very own "How to Lose Weight" book with just one instruction: "DON'T EAT!" One of her slumber party essentials was a pink scale that was permanently set at 110 lbs. The controversial doll also included a pink satin pyjama top and bottoms, a pink robe with a sash, pink open-toe heels with blue pompoms, pink curlers, bobby pins and a blue brush and comb.